Success for Orphans

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

I first met Johan and Austine, two of our sponsored orphans, in 2012 when they came to Mukuni in search of help for their education. They were both attending N’gandu Junior School and had lived with their grandmothers since losing their parents. They were struggling to pay their school fees. We found them sponsors to continue their education and after passing grade 9, they went on to Mukuni High.

AUSTINE AND JOHAN – 2012

For the past three years, every day during term time, Johan and Austine have walked 6 miles each way to go to school. They would leave home at 5am to start school at 7am, and return home in the late afternoon. Their village has no electricity, so any extra studying had to be done at school. In December last year they completed their grade twelve exams, gaining very good marks and received their certificates in March.

JOHAN – SPONSORED BY THE CHARITY SINCE 2011

As a result, both Johan’s and Austine’s sponsors generously offered to fund their further education. I asked the young men to each find a suitable college course. Expecting this to be a local institution in Livingstone, it came as a great surprise to learn that they have been offered University degree courses to study Secondary Education in Lusaka. Both offers came with bursaries and their sponsors are paying the balance. Their course started today!

AUSTINE – JOINED OUR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME IN 2012

This is an outstanding achievement and an inspiration for other orphans who live in extreme poverty. It also stresses how necessary it is to have a sound education to be able to improve your situation in life. Supporting these vulnerable children, from outreach communities, is the core of The Butterfly Tree’s work. We will continue to develop more rural schools in Zambia to accommodate orphans such as Johan and Austine.

LONG WALK FROM MUKUNI TO CHIBULE VILLAGE

The Hilary and Neil Charitable Trust recently funded a science lab for River View School, this will assist 1,400 pupils with their education. In March I visited Nyawa Secondary School and learnt that pupils must travel up to 90 miles to sit grade 12 exams due to lack of facilities. Without a Science laboratory the school cannot be passed as an examination centre. I am delighted to announce that the same Trust has offered to fund a lab for this school.

NYAWA SECONDARY SCHOOL TO HAVE A SCIENCE LABORATORY

Once again Attraction Tickets Direct are helping us to expand rural schools in Nyawa with the addition of a classroom block for Kauwe, as well as the recently completed teacher’s house for Bunsanga Community School. We will also be developing Nakawa pre-school in Sekute Chiefdom for the same donor.

TEACHER’S HOUSE – BUNSANGA COMMUNITY SCHOOL

We have just started a pilot scheme at River View School with Leap Learning from Norway. Leap Learning has developed a new educational method using technology to enable children to learn, where and whoever they are in the world. This is an wonderful opportuntiy and suitable for grades 1 to 4 pupils.

RIVER VIEW JUNIOR SCHOOL PUPILS

Our orphan sponsorship continues to grow. Currently we are sponsoring almost 300 school pupils and 14 further education students. Without our sponsors, most especially the Mukuni Village Fund, Australia who sponsor 50 orphans, none of this could happen. This vital programme entails a great deal of administration both in the UK and Zambia so please understand that it is not always possible to give regular updates, we will always do our best for both donors and beneficiaries.

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Challenging Journeys to Visit Health and Education Programmes

Posted on April 24, 2018 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

My recent trip to Zambia was probably the most challenging to date mainly due to the continued rainy season. Global warming seems to be taking its toll on the nation, most especially in the Southern Province. After barely no rainfall in December and January, February and March certainly made up for it, though it came too late to salvage the withered crops. Later planting also suffered after the heavy rains caused severe flooding.

CROPS PERISHED THROUGH LACK OF RAIN IN JANUARY

Driving off road can often be hazardous at best, but more so when you are heading out to schools where bridges and streams must be crossed. Every time I drive to Nyawa more of the notorious bridge has been washed away, but on one occasion a whole section of it had disappeared after a heavy downpour the night before, making the 100 km trek a waste of time! Not to be defeated, I returned the following week and pleased to see that the community had attempted to reconstruct the bridge, we only made it to Bunsanga and Nyawa as the streams on the track to Muchambila and other schools were too high to cross!

THE BRIDGE ON THE ROAD TO NYAWA COLLAPSED AFTER HEAVY RAINS

It’s always a joy to visit this area and know that the projects we are funding are really appreciated and making a lasting change. The Nyawa people are hardworking and encourage their children to be educated. We always receive a warm welcome and the people readily offer free labour for our constructions. Currently we are further developing Muchambila Junior School with the addition of a teacher’s house, Singwamba with a classroom block, using funds donated by George Spencer Academy, and for Bunsanga, the community now has a new school thanks to Attraction Tickets Direct offering further support.

BOREHOLE AT THE NEWLY BUILT BUNSANGA SCHOOL

In Mukuni Chiefdom Chaba School has a new classroom block and latrines after another grant was approved by the British and Foreign School Society. The Science laboratory at River View School is taking shape enabling this the school to become an examination centre, which save the pupils the 60 km journey to sit their exams. River View and Chaba as well as Mambova Schools were given texts books donated by the Dawson Group.

CHABA SCHOOL – NEW CLASSROOM BLOCK AND TEXT BOOKS

On the further education front it was great to catch up with our young peer educators who are all engaged in skill-based courses. Besides learning to become builders, electricians, plumbers and tailors the group continue to volunteer for The Butterfly Tree, Mafian and Natasha taking leading roles within the charity. This talented group have really impressed me with their compassion and commitment to helping the cause.

THE BUTTERFLY TREE YOUTH GROUP ATTENDING COLLEGE COURSES

For the communities four more houses were donated by Motive Real Estate. It was great to again meet up with John Staab, the company founder, who is as keen as ever to improve the lives of widows and orphans. His partner, Jessica participated in a workshop for rural women. One of our UK volunteers, Valerie Redfern, joined me for part of the trip and together we distributed hundreds of Inner Wheel Club’s knitted blankets, jumpers and toys to villages throughout the District. A wonderful donation from Stratford-upon-Avon Reformed Church paid for further blankets and maize, handing these out to the elderly people was a humbling experience.

MAIZE AND BLANKET DONATION TO THE ELDERLY – MUKUNI, MACHENJE AND KAMWI

Despite all the challenges, as always, the trip was so worthwhile. Seeing first-hand how The Butterfly Tree’s work continues to improve the lives of some of the poorest people on the planet makes me want to do so much more. Funds are now in place for more classrooms, boreholes, and the new clinic at Sikaunswe, funded by GOAC, is underway after a delay caused by the rains. What made the trip even more rewarding was hearing that a record had been broken in Moomba Chiefdom. After implementing our malaria prevention programme ‘the lowest ever number of malaria cases had been recorded for the past three months!’

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Sourcing Education, Health and Water Projects and Reviews

Posted on March 20, 2018 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

As we approach our year end I find it hard to believe that it is now over twelve years since I first went to Zambia. It’s even harder to believe that The Butterfly Tree has grown from sponsoring a hand full of orphans to building schools, clinics, installing bore holes and initiating an advanced malaria prevention programme. Today I am heading back to this special part of the world to check on current projects and to source new ones.

DRIVING OFF ROAD TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

I am delighted to report that our recent distribution of mosquito nets, insecticidal coasting and larvicide granules in Moobma Chiefdom is having quite an impact. In January and February last year the number of malaria cases were 302 and 215 respectively. The total number of cases reported in the same months for 2018 are 27 in January and 38 in February. At the time of reporting two zones had not been covered, but now that the rains are abating we can include the areas that were not covered.

PREVENTION FROM MALARIA FOR MOOMBA CHILDREN

More funding is in place to start a malaria prevention programme in Nyawa Chiefdom. Mosquito nets have already been given out, but due to the rainy season the project had to be put on hold. Sadly, Southern Zambia has experienced unprecedented rainfall this season, which has destroyed crops and infrastructure. Once we know that these areas are accessible we will move ahead.

SWAMPS ARE BREEDING GROUNDS FOR MALARIA

Seeing how we have developed so many rural schools is very rewarding, access to education for children in remote areas is essential. We have just completed a classroom block and latrines at Chaba School, classroom blocks are currenly being constructed at Singwamba, a teacher’s house at Bunsanga and a Science Laboratory at River View, keeping our team in Zambia very busy! A special thanks to the British and Foreign School Society, Attraction Tickets Direct, George Spencer Academy and the Hilary and Neil Charitable Trust for supporting our education programmes this year.

BUNSANGA SCHOOL GETS NEW CLASSROOM AND TEACHER’S HOUSE

I will also be distributing much needed text books to Chaba, Mambova and River View Schools, thanks to a donation from Dawson Group and former volunteers. Far too often I see one text book to be shared amongst of class of sixty pupils. Our evaluation shows that exam results are much improved if each pupil has a text book. I will be checking up on all our orphans and as always sourcing new ones and appreciate all the support on this invaluable programme.

OVERCROWDED CLASSROOMS – MAMBOVA SCHOOL

Despite the heavy rains many schools and villages have no access to safe clean water, therefore I shall be looking for new sites after receiving donations for bore holes. Here we take water for granted, but when you see women and children carrying water from bacteria infected streams and swamps it makes you realise how lucky we are. Next to malaria diarrohoeal disease is the greatest cause of deaths in infants.

SAFE DRINKING WATER FOR 560 PUPILS – NGANDU SCHOOL

To further improve health in rural areas a new clinic is under construction at Sikaunswe thanks to grant aid from GOAC. The site will have a main clinic, maternity ward, women’s shelter and latrines. For the Mukuni community I am looking forward to seeing the new houses for widows and the elderly looking after orphans, which have been donated by Motive Real Estate.

nEW HOME FOR WIDOW AND ORPHAN

I shall look forward to giving you updates on my return, in the meantime you can follow my daily posts and see photos from Zambia on Facebook.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Orphan Sponsorship and Child Protection

Posted on February 26, 2018 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

As many of you know The Butterfly Tree has successfully run an orphan sponsorship programme since 2006. Thousands of orphans have benefitted from our support, which includes better education and health facilities, access to safe water and school feeding programmes. All our work revolves around vulnerable children in rural areas of Zambia.

RIVER VIEW SCHOOL – 1,250 PUPILS HAVE ADVANCED EDUCATION FACILITIES

Due to the recent allegations that have come to light concerning Oxfam volunteers, we would like to assure you that we take Child Protection very seriously and do everything in our power to ensure that the children we support are safe. Because of these issues we are currently updating our Child Protection Policy, which will shortly be published.

YOUNG RURAL CHILDREN – MUKUNI CHIEFDOM

Our volunteers in Zambia are made up of local people, most of them have been with us since the founding of The Butterfly Tree. The orphan sponsorship programme is overseen by local women and school teachers, with the exception of Kamwi School, where Mafian, a former beneficiary, checks on the welfare of orphans and sources new ones that need support. The peer education programme for HIV prevention is organised by former sponsored orphans.

MAFIAN – FORMER SPONSORED PUPIL OVERSEERS ORPHANS IN KAMWI

Most of our UK volunteers help with administration and fundraising only, and do not work ‘hands on’ in Zambia. All of us that do visit Zambia, and other volunteers, including international ones, have to produce a DBS or the equivalent from their country, and must be dedicated to helping the cause rather than using it as a holiday.

LEAH – FORMER VOLUNTEER IN ZAMBIA NOW A MEMBER OF THE UK TEAM

For the past ten years we’ve welcomed an array of teachers, nurses, social workers and business people who have provided invaluable assistance within the communities, schools and clinics. They are accompanied by members of The Butterfly Tree, school teachers or medical officers. To strengthen our aim to protect children and vulnerable people we are also updating our criteria and selection process, and will only accept those volunteers who have something worthwhile to offer.

VOLUNTEERS – CANADIAN & AUSTRALIAN VOLUNTEERS REFURBISHING MUKUNI CLINC

On a positive note – at the start of this new school year in Zambia we have offered sponsorship to many more needy children thanks to gaining new sponsors, as well as existing donors, including the Mukuni Village Trust, Australia, and others that have agreed to support an orphan after their original pupil completed school. Though the orphan’s results are not always the best, many of these young people have gained a sound basic education, progressed to further education or sought employment.

MUKUNI HIGH SCHOOL – PUPILS ON THE ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP PROGRAMME

We apologise to those of you who are awaiting updates and details of new orphans, and will be in touch as soon as the Child Protection Policy has been approved. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Orphans ‘Spreading their Wings’

Posted on January 4, 2018 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Happy New Year from The Butterfly Tree!

January brings a positive start to the year, after December being one of the best months in the history of the charity, with new donations coming in. As always we strive to raise more funds and source new projects for further development in outreach communities.

BUNSANGA COMMUNITY – NYAWA CHIEFDOM

Besides the construction and advancement taking place in rural schools, many of the orphans we have supported for several years are making good progress. For the ones that have completed school it is now time for these young people to advance their education and seek employment.

SCHOOL LEAVERS EARN AN INCOME BUILDING COMMUNITY HOUSES

We are delighted to learn that Charity, having volunteered at Kamwi Primary School for the past year, will start as a full-time government high school teacher this month. Bridget, Sowe and Lillian will continue being sponsored at teacher’s training colleges. Jacob, recently gained a diploma in Agriculture and is working on a farm in Mazabuka.

CHARITY TO START A FULL-TIME TEACHING POST THIS MONTH

Owen, has been accepted to study Biomedics at a college in Kaloma, kindly sponsored by members of the Australian Mukuni Vilage Trust, who are to increase the number of orphans they sponsor to 50 this year. Their continued support is invaluable and many vulnerable children have benefitted from their generosity.

OWEN TO STUDY A COURSE IN BIOMEDICS

Our group of young volunteers are ready to ‘spread their wings’. Natasha, Edwin, Dennis, Jafter and Mafian are to attend college to learn practical skills including electrics, bricklaying and tailoring, along with Nagama, Donald and Peter. For the past three years they have tirelessly run the HIV peer education programme and mentored our sponsored orphans. Now they have a chance to learn a profession in order to set up their own enterprises, thanks to one of our US donors.

EDWIN, DONALD, JAFTER, PETER, DENNIS, NATASHA AND NAGAMA

Educating orphans is paramount, with your support we have educated many. This year we are offering the sponsorship to more vulnerable children in schools within Mukuni Chiefdom as well as River View School in Sekete Chiefdom. Our aim is to train recent school leavers in volunteering and peer education to create further sustainability.

Wishing you good health and happiness for 2018.

Christmas 2017

Posted on December 22, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Christmas has come early for some of our schools in Zambia with this December being one of the busiest months in the history of the charity. We have been overwhelmed by the support from new and long-standing donors, who have generously given to our cause, boosting our water, food, health and education programmes. We also greatly appreciate the kind messages that many of you have sent.

MUKUNI CHILDREN

The sustainability of The Butterfly Tree could not continue without the tremendous efforts and generosity of all the people involved. Whether it be the Trustees, volunteers, donors or fundraisers, each have played an integral part in helping us to expoand into new outreach communities in Zambia. Here are details of some of the donations we recently received.

MAMBOVA CLINIC BUILT BY THE BUTTERFLY TREE

River View School gets further support to add a Science Laboratory, thanks to a generous donation from The Hilary and Neil Charity Trust. Once this has been completed the newly upgraded High School will be passed as an Examination Center. The second phase of a grant from the British and Foreign School Society will enable us to complete the 1×2 classroom block and latrines currently under construction at Chaba Junior Secondary School. Just Trust’s recent grant aid will be used to purchase desks for the school.

NEWLY UPGRADED RIVER VIEW HIGH SCHOOL

Attraction Tickets Direct donates further funds to add a teacher’s house to Bunsanga Community School, and private donors offer extra funding for Muchambila Primary School. A donation from George Spencer Academy is to be used towards a classroom block, and desks, for Singwamba School. These five schools, will gain much improved education facilities for over three thousand vulnerable children.

NEW SCHOOL FOR BUNSANGA SCHOOL – 2017

The rainy season is underway, but to date Mukuni Chiefdom reports zero cases of malaria with the help of our intervention. This year we are focusing on Moomba Chiefdom, where we recently distributed several hundered mosquito nets and insecticidal coating to 400 dwellings. Ater just one month the medical officer is seeing a difference, with no new cases to date. Nyawa Chiefdom is to receive 340 mosquito nets.

ADVANCED MALARIA PREVENTION – MOOMBA CHIEFDOM

The numbers of orphans to be sponsored, at the start of the new school year in January, will be increased. The Mukuni Village Trust Australia, will support 50 orphans and several new sponsors have come ‘on board’. We have funds on offer for more bore holes in remote schools and villages. Motive Real Estate are to donate further houses for widows and the elderly looking after orphans.

SOME OF THE ORPHANS TO BE SPONSORED IN 2018

We continue to support a feeding programme at Mukuni Secondary School and the Keil family’s donation will again provide seeds for 14 rural schools.

NGANDU SCHOOL GARDEN

We have a few calendars left, selling at £4 each – kindly send an email to jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk if you would like to place an order.

This has been an absolutely amazing year for The Butterfly Tree, the orphans and communites in Zambia thanks to your charitable support. I would like to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped, whether it be from a small donation, a substantial grant or as a volunteer. From all of us at The Butterfly Tree we wish you a wonderful Christmas and much happiness and good health for the New Year!

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Developments in Zambia

Posted on November 23, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

First of all I would like to thank everyone for voting for the Aidex Humanitarian Hero’s Award, for which I was shortlisted to the final four, and for your many kind messages. The charity gained a great deal of exposure and already we have received support as a result of my attending the event, after the sponsors paid towards my expenses. The worthy winner was an Austrian Red Cross volunteer, who had worked with Ebola and refugees.

ATTENDING THE AIDEX EVENT IN BRUSSELS

Before the event I had recently travelled to Zambia to see the progress we are making, which is quite remarkable. Most especially with the completion of River View School development thanks substantial to grant aid from GOAC. In addition to the 1×4 classroom block, the grant paid for 3 double VIP latrines, 85 desks and mosquito nets. I personally distributed 1,250 mosquito nets to every child and teacher as part of a pilot scheme to help eliminate malaria in this District.

RIVER VIEW PUPILS RECEIVE MOSQUITO NETS & NEW CLASSROOMS

A substantial grant from the BFSS has enabled us to expand Chaba Primary School in Mukuni Chiefdom after grade 8 had been closed due to lack of teaching space. Currently children are walking 12 km to seek education. A new 1×2 classroom block and double VIP latrines are being constructed. Another 1×2 classroom block was completed at Bunsanga community school, generously funded by Attraction Tickets Direct, who have since agreed to fund a teacher’s house. 20 desks were donated as a result of a donor fundraiser and each pupil was given a filled school bag courtesy of por partner, School in Bag.

BUNSANGA PRIMARY’S NEW SCHOOL IN NYAWA CHIEFDOM

I spent time working with the older orphans we sponsored who have now completed school or gone on to further education. Jacob Siatubitu, the first beneficiary to go to high school proudly showed me his Diploma in Agriculture, has sought employment and vows to help his community and the charity. The group of peer educators continue to conduct HIV prevention workshops. I offered them seven of them the chance to earn an income while they are waiting to go to college. The are happily building 11 houses for widows and the elderly looking after orphans, funded by Motive Real Estate.

FORMER SPONSORED ORPHANS EARNING AN INCOME

On a sad note Hildah, one of the community health workers and her family, lost their home after a fire destroyed it. We rallied round to help her, donating blankets and jerseys from District 6 Inner Wheel Clubs and various items received from the David Livingstone Hotel. A post on Facebook resulted in donations to build her a new home and buy other neccessities.

THREE OF THE FOUR CHILDREN WHOSE HOUSE BURNT DOWN

As always orphans are at the forefront of our work, grades 9 and 12 have been taking their exams. I got updates on many of them, but during the exam period it was not possible to meet all of them. Therefore, please accept my apologies for the delay in updating the orphan sponsors. This programme entails a huge amount of administration for us here in the UK as well as for the Zambian volunteers and teachers. Whether we are building schools, clinics or putting in bore holes the orphans will benefit.

SPONSORED ORPHANS – MUKUNI SECONDARY SCHOOL

There is so much more to write about, so I will add more detailed information about certain projects in following posts. In the meantime we are aiming to increase our donations leading up to Christmas. Our urgent needs are for 800 mosquito nets for Nyawa Chiefdom, where there is a high prevelance of malaria, and for school desks and text books. Our 2018 charity calendar is available to order at a cost of £4. Thank you to the companies who have each sponsored a page. This covers all printing costs – all sales will go towards the above projects.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Humanitarian Hero Award 2017 Finalist

Posted on November 6, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Jane Kaye-Bailey has been selected as a finalist for Aidex ‘Humanitarian Award of the Year‘. After being nominated for this prestigious award Jane is one of the four finalists. Below is the nomination, submitted by Leah Black. The winner will be announced on the 15th November 2017, at the Aidex Global Humanitarian and Development Event in Brussels. The vote to select the winner is open to the public, with Jane being a finalist The Butterfly Tree will receive a huge amount of publicity. Please use this link to vote for Jane:

Since founding The Butterfly Tree, Jane has selflessly provided 11 years dedication to the people of Zambia in her work to help orphans and rural communities. Her commitment has helped and saved thousands of lives with awe-inspiring lasting impact across an extensive geographical area in Southern Zambia, which she’s continuously expanding to ensure widespread support. I came across Jane 10 years ago when searching for a volunteer-led charity to fundraise for. I have followed her impressive work since then. From its conception, the charity’s philosophy has been to ensure that all donor funds go directly into grassroots projects and no personal fees or administration costs are deducted, which to this date is still, outstandingly, the case. This year I was keen to volunteer in Zambia to share my skills and see Jane’s charity first-hand. What I witnessed over two months astounded me; a charity true to its nature, following its original mission and changing lives sustainably and effectively, being run entirely by talented and dedicated Zambian volunteers who Jane is highly regarded by, with community self-development and local people at its heart.

Jane at the launch of The Butterfly Tree’s new Malaria Prevention Programme 2014

To highlight Jane’s impact, some 10,000 people now have access to safe water through 21 new boreholes, and better sanitation. She has developed wide-reaching sustainable feeding programmes in a country that ranks third hungriest nation globally and one of the poorest countries in Africa. Her support feeds over 2000 orphans and vulnerable children daily and provides seeds and fertiliser for vulnerable families. Jane strongly believes that education is fundamental to tackling poverty and through her desire to help change the future of vulnerable children she holds education at the heart of what she does; not only curriculum-based but also peer-led community education and youth empowerment; tackling personal, social and health issues, especially preventing HIV & Aids.

Jane with the ‘Kamwi Twins’, whose mother died in childbirth leaving premature babies. Now age 7 the boys have been supported by the charity since 2010.

Jane’s projects have developed new rural schools, with teacher’s houses, latrines and boreholes. She has enabled sponsorship of several hundred orphaned and vulnerable children from pre-school to grade 12, and helped students to attend college and achieve their aspirations, many of whom return to the villages to help their communities and inspire local youth. Additionally, her charity has provided vast amounts of materials in the 35 schools she helps and added special education units in four of them. 82 houses for widows and the elderly have been constructed, maternity care and medical supplies have been provided to numerous health centres and 12 clinics are supported, some of which her charity has built. Jane has commendable ability to empower communities she works in to be sustainable. She first ensures that adequate facilities are provided so that, once basic needs are available, income-generating activities can be introduced by initiating sustainable enterprises and microfinancing.

Jane raise funds to built the first matenrity clinic in rural Zambia. Others, as well as women’s shelters have also been constructed.

Jane’s work doesn’t stop here; through her continued dedication to tackle malaria she’s making a massive local and potentially national, even global, impact. For the past nine years her charity has funded a successful malaria prevention programme in Zambia, providing over 12,000 mosquito nets, malaria testing kits and educational workshops saving countless lives. Significantly, she’s been working with a UK company, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine on two new products, an insecticide coating and larvicide granule which last two years and are not harmful to humans, animals or the environment; perceived to be the most superior currently available globally. The National Malaria Control Centre did an evaluation of the products and was extremely satisfied with the results. Consequently the products were approved by the Zambian Ministry of Health and the Zambian Environmental Agencies. After being granted a license Jane’s charity distributes these for humanitarian aid. In high-risk malaria locations where they were applied there was a significant reduction in new cases of malaria, protecting over 1000 households with an aim to safeguard many more nationwide.

Jane distributinmg mosquito nets and funding educational workshops for malaria prevention.

Jane runs the charity with compassion and full business sense, giving her great ability to build partnerships locally and internationally, like working closely with the Ministry of Education and District Health Authorities. Jane has a proven record for getting things done; she’s an exceptionally hard-worker. There’s no rushed jobs or funds being spent unwisely, as she ensures quality and transparency in all that the charity does and that fundraisers’ money goes directly towards good causes. This award would not only be an honour to Jane but also a significant achievement that would deliver enormous sense of pride to all people who hold Jane in their heart; most importantly local Zambians, who will be inspired and enthused by such recognition. I hope that you can see, like me, how deserving Jane is of joining the wall of fame at this year’s AidEx.

Jane hosted HRH Prnicess Royal in 2012 after the charity has been chosen to receive a visit during Her Majesty’s The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Year

Please use this link to vote for Jane as a finalist for the Humanitarian Hero Award.

Leah Black

Youth Develpoment Coordinator for The Butterfly Tree

Children with Special Needs

Posted on September 25, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Life in Zambian rural villages is tough for most children, but if you have learning or physical difficulties it can be incredibly hard. The Butterfly Tree has supported a programme for children with special needs since 2008. Our work was praised by HRH Princess Royal after selecting this as one of the areas she wanted to see when she visited the charity in 2012.

HRH Princess Roya; visit to Mukuni Special Education Class

Before our involvement there was no support for these vulnerable children in rural villages. Families on low or no income were unable to send their children to boarding schools in townships so they had to remain at home. The Zambian government welcomed our input after we build a special education unit at Mukuni Village. With help from Fountaindale SE School in Nottinghamshire we subsequently received volunteers, educational materials and teacher’s training.

Special Education Class – Mukuni Primary School

One of the first beneficiaries was Joseph, who has Cerebral Palsy. When I first met Joseph at the age of six he could not speak, had difficulty with balance and frequently fell over. He lived at home with his grandparents and was unable to attend school. The charity donated funds for Joseph to have physiotherapy – whithin a year the difference was remarkable, and in less than two years Joseph could run.

Joseph, at the ager of seven, has Cerebral Palsy

I then made a request to the special education teacher at Mukuni for Joseph to attend school just one day per week. He responded so well that the following week he attended every day. He had no use in his right arm. One day when I was visiting the class, Joseph started drawing on the blackboard, using his right hand. The stimulation from being at school really helped him progress. Now, at the age of 10, Joseph can string words together and actively engages with other children, even playing football!

Joseph, aged ten, loves football

Following this success we built three more units for Katapazi, Simango and River View Schools in the Chiefdoms of Mukuni, Musokotwane and River View Schools, respectively. A recent donation from Lasswade Primary School will provide much needed materials for children with special needs. One of the school’s teachers is raising funds for a further unit to be added to Kauwe Junior Secondary School.

Pupils at River View School sing to visitors and use sign language

We have helped many more children like Joseph, but as always, more funds are needed to reach out to these underprivileged children with special needs.

Orphan Sponsorship Results

Posted on August 24, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

It’s not easy being an orphan. When a child has lost, not just one, but both parents, his or her world is turned upside down. What is worse for some children is that they may have been living a relatively prosperous life in a town where both parents brought in an income, then everythng changes. They must go to a remote village to live with their grandparents or guardian. No longer do they have the amenities found in town, their new home is most likely to be a mud hut dwelling with no running water and no electricity.