Category Archives: Fundraising

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Charity Annual Report 2014-15

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Chair’s Report…

2014–15 has been an extremely successful year for The Butterfly Tree, with donations and grant aid increasing by 30%. We gained many new donors and have reached out to several new schools and communities. I am astounded by the continued support from our loyal donors, volunteers and fundraisers, who have generously donated money and free time to help us continue this vital work. The grass root projects, which include education advancements, bore holes and improved healthcare, have also continued to grow. Our exciting new malaria prevention project is shortly to be launched.

Please follow the link to view the full Annual Report, Photos and Accounts: Annual Report 14-15

JANE WITH MICHAEL DAVID – NAMED AFTER HER TWO SONS

For the past twelve months we have been working with Vectorcide (a UK company), the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Zambian Malaria Control Centre and the Ministry of Health, to introduce two innovative malaria prevention methods that are perceived to be the most superior products currently available globally. This is a huge opportunity for us and most humbling to know that we have the potential to help save thousands of lives. The first distribution will be going to the Mukuni Chiefdom in July. In addition we received a donation of repellent t-shirts that offer a further form of protection.

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KAMWI TWINS, VINCENT & ELVIS NEED PROTECTION FROM MALARIA

Over the years we have gained a sound reputation for transparency and for getting the job done! When in Zambia I drive to all the villages we are supporting. Sometimes it can be hazardous, but this way I am able to report first hand the remakable difference The Butterfly Tree is making. Earlier this year we received a substantial grant to develop N’gandu School, which dates back to 1947, and is in dire need of expansion. Further grant aid enabled us to expand N’dele School, a substantial donation paid for extensive development at Nampuyani School and one for restoration at Manyemuyemu.

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NAMPUYANI SCHOOL EXPANSION

We continue to sponsor the education of orphans in several schools. We are extremely grateful for the on going support from our many sponsors, some joining us way back in 2006. Personally I believe one of our greatest achievements is to see former sponsored pupils attending teacher’s training college and other further education establishments. Three of them have returned to Mukuni to do work experience at the school. Others are studying agriculture and engineering, some are volunteering in schools and clinics, while others have sought employment.

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SPONSORED ORPHANS – N’GANDU SCHOOL

Another special education unit has been added to Simango school, making this our fourth one in rural schools. Earlier this year we handed over The Butterfly Tree’s pre-school in Mukuni Village to the mainstream school. The government has finally incorporated pre-schools into their curriculum. In sport, Mukuni football teams, received football kits from York City Football Club.

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SPECIAL EDUCATION UNIT FOR SIMANGO CHILDREN

Health and water issues continue to dominate our work. Besides the prevelance of malaria, which has sadly been on the increase due to the escalation in drug-resistance, we must continue to address HIV, particularly amongst youths. We provide funds for HIV prevention through peer eudcation workshops using ‘Meet Mutsa’s’ successful method. These young peer educators are making substantial progress by spreading awareness of the dangers of HIV and AIDS. Furthermore the CEF goat project, funded by US donors, provides goat’s milk for vulnerable infants and children at risk from malnutrition.

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BORE HOLE & INDIAN HAND PUMP FOR KAUWE PUPILS

Sometimes I am overcome with emotion when I visit these communities and see the improvements, most recently at the new clinic at Muchambile funded by private donors who have ‘adopted’ the school and village. The health centre at Mahalulu is now fully operational, complete with maternity clinic, women’s shelter, staff houses, bore hole and latrines. The school bore holes are invaluable and have helped to reduce the number of diarrhoeal diseases in children as well as providing irrigation for sustainable school vegetable gardens.

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ONE OF THREE STAFFS HOUSES AT MAHALULU HEALTH CENTRE

Nine community houses were constructed for widows looking after orphans, some built by UK volunteers. Each year we attract a considerable number of volunteers from all walks of life. This past year we received volunteers and visitors from the UK, Norway, France, New Zealand, Australia, USA and South Africa. Mukuni Village has become a global gathering!

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FRIENDS CELEBRATING THEIR 50th BIRTHDAY VOLUNTEER AT MUKUNI

Besides volunteers we attract travel philanthropists and tourists. Our base at Mukuni Village is just seven kilometres from Victoria Falls, a World Heritage Site, where visitors can come and see how just a small donation can make a huge difference.

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THE LARSGARD FAMILY FROM NORW

2006 was when it all began by sponsoring a few orphans and raising funds for a high school. Since then our work has expanded to four Chiefdoms, offering improved water, as well as health and education facilities to thousands of orphans and vulnerable children. This has happened because of the commitment and dedication of our teams of volunteers both in the UK and Zambia. I wish to express my gratitude to fellow Trustees David and Miranda for all their help and advice, and welcome to the board of Trustees, Wendy Callaway, a long-term donor and volunteer of the charity. A special thanks to Ann Sutton for her extensive contribution in administering the charity accounts, to Carolyn for efficiently organising the volunteer programme, to Oscar for his asssitance, and to Emma for helping with the orphan sponsorship and her volunteer work in Zambia. Also my sincere thanks to Frank Maiolo, our US representative, who has promoted and supported the charity since 2008.

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EARLY LEARNING IS ESSENTIAL FOR CHILD DEVELOPMENT

I receive some wonderful comments and unnecessary applause for what we have achieved in these rural villages. However, none of it could have been accomplished without the devotion and effort of our amazing team in Zambia: Mupotola Siloka (Secretary & Project Manager), Presley Mulenga (Head of Education), Martin Mushabati (Ground Operations Manager), Rosemany Siloka (Treasurer), Stain Musungaila (Malaria Prevention) and Sibeso Maseke (Environmetal Officer). A special thanks to Chief Mukuni for his counsel, and the local tour operators and hoteliers who support our work.

We will continue to work at grass root level, reaching out to remote areas of need, and with the support of the Ministry of Health we aim is to extend the malaria prevention programme to national level to reduce the number of lives lost and days of absenteeism due to sickness.

My sincere thanks to everyone who has helped to make The Butterfly Tree an established and globally recognised charity. I would personally like to thank every single donor from around the world and apologise for not being able to name everyone. A special thanks to our major donors  – the Jersey Oversees Aid Commission, the British and Foreign School Society, Saga Charitable Trust, Just a Drop, ENRC Marketing AG, The Besom, Cunninghams, Attraction Tickets Direct, Black and White Accounting and the Mukuni Village Fund (Australia), not forgetting the Inner Wheel Clubs District 6, who selected The Butterfly Tree, for the past two years, as their International Charity of the Year!

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Founder

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Volunteers & Fundraisers Galore!

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For the past few years the number of volunteers we receive in Zambia has increased considerably. During the next eight weeks some fifty people will be volunteering at Mukuni, N’gandu and Kamwi Schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom. Recently Chris and Kiara, two HandsUpHoliday clients, staying at The Royal Livingstone Hotel, have funded and built a community house for a widow with orphans.

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Volunteers build a community house at Mukunui

This month will see four schools groups partaking in volunteering. Tring School, through World Challenge, has generously donated funds to build a school shop and restore the old classrooms at Kamwi. While Outlook Expeditions are sending school groups from Gyfum Emlyn and Longbridge in Wales, to build four community houses at Mukuni, they will also assist in the classrooms.

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Pupils at Kamwi School

In August we welcome the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission Community Works volunteers. A Grant has been given by the commission to expand N’gandu School, which will benefit greatly fwith the addition of a 1×3 classroom block, two teacher’s house and latrines. The groups will be staying for three weeks and will camp at the school. Also in August Muze Trust will send two volunteers to offer music workshops for young people in Mukuni.

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N’gandu school built in 1947 undergoing expansion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also have a number of fundraisers who are currently supporting our cause – Alison Adams, a Scottish teacher, is raising funds for a much needed special education unit at Kauwe School. On August 1st Alison will be undertaking the National Three Peakes Challenge. Faris Alwan and Rebecca Hodgson aim to raise a substantial amount of funds for housing projects. Claudia Emmanuel is raising funds on her birthday for a community house. Errina Foley-Fisher is raising money for a bore hole and will volunteer later in the year. Several medical students will be helping at the clinics and once again we welcome Sydney University students at the end of the year. 

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Kauwe School in need of special education unit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Butterfly Tree teams both in the UK and Zambia are made up entirely by volunteers, having these extra volunteers not only offers financial support but expertise as well. We are so grateful to all these generous people, who give up their free time to offer invaluable support to both The Butterfly Tree and the local Zambian communities. In return this can be a life-changing experience for all participants. If you would like to volunteer, fundraise or donate to one of our causes click on this link or contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk or carolyn@thebutterflytree.org.uk for volunteer work.

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January 2015 Newsletter

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Happy New Year to everyone of our donors, supporters and volunteers! Please accept our apologies for the delay in sending the 2015 calendars, which are still available to purchase at a cost of £4 each plus postage. A special thanks to all the companies who sponsored a page of the calendar, this money covers all printing costs, with the balance providing funds for our projects.

2015-Front

2015 is a significant year for the United Nations, governments and the charitable sector, as it is 15 years since a target was set in September 2000 to reduce global poverty and its related issues.

‘At the Millennium Summit in September 2000 the largest gathering of world leaders in history adopted the UN Millennium Declaration, committing their nations to a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty and setting out a series of time-bound targets, with a deadline of 2015, that have become known as the Millennium Development Goals’.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the world’s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. They are also basic human rights-the rights of each person on the planet to health, education, shelter, and security’.

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Poverty in rural Zambia

Since 2006 The Butterfly Tree has been working to help Zambia meet its targets. This year we hope to advance our support in all areas, most especially in education and malaria prevention. Our Christmas matched funding campaign, with a target of £8,000, proved to be hugely successful. The money we raised is being used to sponsor orphans, to buy books and uniforms for the start of the new school year and to support our new malaria prevention programme.

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Sponsored Orphan

The matched funding will be used to purchase a much needed 4 x 4 for our team in Zambia. Mupotola Siloka, Rev. Presley Mulenga and Martin Mushabati have worked tirelessly to run our ground operations, using their own vehicles to visit rural schools and clinics, but only a 4×4 can access some of the more remote communities. I have driven to most of the outreach areas and know how treacherous the tracks can be.

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Jane driving through a bush fire

The following projects are planned for 2015: a new classroom block is currently under construction at Ndele Primary School thanks to a grant from the British and Foreign School Society, substantial advancement of N’gandu Primary School, funding by JOAC Community Works Projects. Gill St. Bernard’s School in Gladstone, New Jersey has kindly raised funds to support Kasiya Community School. In addition we aim to considerably expand our malaria prevention programme, managed by volunteer Stain Musungaila and to more provide schools with safe drinking water.

In our small, but significant way, we are helping Zambia to meet its Millennium Development Goals.

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Education For All

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The Butterfly Tree has a great opportunity to boost funds for our education and malaria prevention projects. A private donor who has offered to match funds up to the value of £8,000,  has extended the closing date. Anyone who would like to make a donation between now and the 15th December has a strong chance of getting their donation matched.

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These Simango Special Education Children Receive a Sound Education

Please click on DONATE to make a donation on our special fundraising page. If you would prefer to make a bank transfer, send a cheque or require further details please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

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Matched Funding

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We have got off to a great start with our campaign to raise extra funds for Christmas. A private donor has offered to match funds up to the value of £8,000. Anyone who would like to make a donation between now and the 8th December has a strong chance of getting their donation matched.

Please click on DONATE to make a donation on our special fundraising page. If you would prefer to make a bank transfer, send a cheque or require further details please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

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EDUCATING ORPHANS & VULNERABLE CHILDREN

The Butterfly Tree is working in four Chiefdoms in the Southern Province of Zambia, assisting several thousand orphaned and vulnerable children. Your donations will help to reach out to more rural communities and orphans who need safe water, health and education facilities as well as protection from malaria.

Malaria remains the biggest killer of man. According to the World Health Organisation ‘ in 2012, 90% of all malaria deaths occurred in the WHO African Region, mostly among children under 5 years of age. Malaria prevention methods are vital.

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MALARIA PREVENTION CAN HELP TO SAVE A CHILD’S LIFE

DONATE to The Butterfly Tree knowing that your money will be used where it is most needed, NO administration or personal fees will be deducted. We aim to use the matched funding towards the purchase a much needed vehicle for our amazing team in Zambia.

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Boost Education & Malaria Prevention

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The build up to Christmas is truly under way – festive lights illuminating the high streets, TV and radio media advertising the latest computer games and supermarket crammed with treats. With so much turmoil happening around the globe, the raging wars, the natural disasters and the Ebola crisis, to mention but a few, it’s hard to get enthusiastic about Christmas. The unwanted gifts, the over indulgence, the unnecessary stress it all creates is it really worth it? There are so many good causes that need supporting and this is the perfect time for giving.

A recent quote from one of our orphan sponsors sums it up: ‘With all the excess involved in Christmas and even everyday spending on silly things, it is genuinely a delight to give money to people who really need it.’

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Sponsor an orphan through The Butterfly Tree

This month The Butterfly Tree has received some amazing donations and grants. The British and Foreign School Society has approved a grant for a 1×2 classroom block and latrines for Ndele Primary School. This is just one of many education projects funded by the BFSS since 2007. Mukuni Special Education unit is to get a boost thanks to a generous donation from Pegnet, Germany and several more children have been added to our orphan sponsorship programme.

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Ndele pupils to receive new classroom

November is Zambia is the start of the rainy season, after six months without a drop of rain the farmers and rural communities are rejoicing. This is the time for planting maize and other crops to secure enough food to store through the prolonged dry season. The downside is that the wet season increases the risk of contracting malaria. Chuunga Village has reported four new cases. We are working with Biotech International to bring new innovative methods of prevention to Zambia. Supported by Saga Charitable Foundation who has donated substantial funds to help boost this project, we aim to make the change. In addition New Textiles has donated over 100 protective t-shirts, which have been distributed amongst children at Mahalulu School.

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Mahalulu pupils receiving protective t-shirts

This year we are not taking part in the Big Give Christmas Challenge. Many people found this very stressful and complained that they could not get the donation on in time. It is highly competitive and time consuming. Instead we have a private donor who has offered to match funds up to the value of £8,000. Anyone who would like to make a donation between now and the 8th December has a strong chance of getting their donation matched. Please click on DONATE to make a donation or contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk  if you would like to make a bank transfer, send a cheque or require further details.

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Donors and Volunteers

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With the holiday season in full swing August in generally a quiet month for charities. However I am pleased to report that The Butterfly Tree is having a great month, funds are being boosted thanks to new and existing donors, fundraisers from church members to students raising money for the charity and volunteers are heading out to Zambia. Once again the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission has offered substantial support in the form of a Community Work Project to develop Ng’andu Basic School. This school was built in the early 1940’s and apart from the charity restoring classrooms and adding a bore hole and teacher’s houses very little else has been done. JOAC volunteers will assist in the construction of a new 1×3 classroom block, two teachers’ houses and latrines in May 2015.

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Ng’andu Basic School to be upgraded

Cunninghams, another of our long term donors,continues to support a feeding programme at Mukuni Comprehensive school for 400 pupils and 50 boarders. As part of our malaria prevention campaign to help the fight against malaria, New Textiles Portugal has donated over 100 insect repellent t-shirts to distribute amongst children in areas where we have seen an increase in new cases of malaria.

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Malaria Prevention and Early Testing are Vital in the Fight Against Malara

This year we have seen an increase in volunteering in Zambia. Most recently from the US Hanna Cohen and her two daughters helped at the Mukuni schools and raised funds towards a borehole. Neysa Murphy and Wiremu Sutherland from New Zealand assisted the NASAAZ interschools’ Drama, Poetry and Choirs competitions and have since offered financial support for the Festival and will set up a scholarship for talented performers. Currently three Enactus students from Sheffield University are initiating WASHcoms and soap-making projects at Ng’andu, Kamwi and Kasiya Schools to improve the water supply and hygiene standards.

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Traditional Dancers compete at the NAASAZ Festival

Other donations have included invaluable blood pressure monitors from Medisave for Mukuni Health Centre and three large boxes of football strips from York City Football Club. These will be shared amongst the Mukuni United Football Club, who are presently top of their league and a number of rural schools. We are very grateful to all our supporters who provide vital funds and supplies to help with our projects in remote areas of Zambia.

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A home made football – Chise Village

There are many ways you can help The Butterfly Tree, through fundraising or volunteering. If you would like any further information please click on this link to contact us.

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Mothers in Zambia

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In developing countries such as Zambia much of the responsibility of bringing up children is left to the mother. Sadly, as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, there are far too many young widows left with no income. The Butterfly Tree provides housing and sustainable income-generating enterprises for such women.

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Young Zambian mother and child

It is believed that if you educate a women she will educate the entire family. Certainly from my eight year experience of working with women in Zambia, they are ready to make the change. Traditionally, in villages like Mukuni, boys dropped out of school to become wood carvers and girls fell pregnant or were forced into early marriages. Times are changing and now both boys and girls are completing high school. Education is the key to overcoming poverty and disease.

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The Butterfly Tree house for young widow and children

At the beginning of May further houses will be built for these young widows, thanks to fundraising efforts by William Anderson of Teamworks, who will be going out to Zambia with his colleagues to help with the construction of four new homes. To date we have donated over sixty houses to widows and orphans.

Help us to reach out to vulnerable women on Mother’s Day:

  • Order flowers through our partner Charity Flowers – 15% will be donated to the charity
  • Buy a CD and listen to the powerful voices of the Mukuni School Choir
  • Place a bid on Ebay for our ‘teddy bear’ auction
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‘Teddy Bear’ Auction – knitted by an Inner Wheel Club member

Donate to any of the following projects:

WATER – FOOD – HEALTH – EDUCATION

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Christmas 2013 – Newsletter

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Christmas is almost upon us and thanks to the tremendous support from our donors, fundraisers and volunteers around the globe many rural children in Zambia have a better future ahead of them.

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Malaria Prevention – distribution of mosquito nets

December has been an incredibly good month for fundraising, most especially thanks to The Big Give Christmas Challenge, when we raised £15,000 in pledges and donations, which will be be doubled through their Charity Champion Fund and The Reed Foundation. In addition we received donations from the US, Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, France, Ireland and Switzerland and of course the UK, showing how The Butterfly Tree has attracted donors from all over the world.

We now have funds in place for hundreds more mosquito nets for our malaria prevention program, a teacher’s house, classrooms, seeds for school gardens. stationery for schools and over twenty new orphans added to our orphan sponsorship programme. Providing the essentials in life is what these communities most need to enable them to have a healthier and happier life.

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New teacher’s house coming for Muchimbale Community School

The Butterfly Tree team would like to thank everyone who has helped us reach out to thousands and orphaned children in the Southern Province of Zambia. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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The Big Give Christmas Challenge

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December 7th: we have reached our target of £10.000 for The Big Give Challenge!  This means that no further matching will be made. Thank you to everyone who has donated to the challenge through both the pledge stage and the on line donations. Our sincere apologies to the people who did not get their funds matched. If you would still like to make the donation please use our secure on line donation page.

December 6th: received further donations for the Big Give Christmas Challenge, taking our total to £7,840

December 5th – today at 10.00 GMT we managed to raise £6,015 of the £10,000 needed to reach our target . On Thursday and Friday we have more opportunities to double donations through the Big Give Christmas Challenge for our orphan support programme. Thank you to everyone who has offered to participate and to the donors who have already pledged money.

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Pupils at Muchimbale Community School will receive support from the challange

Millions of pounds are on offer from the Big Give. This is an incredibly generous initiative and a huge opportunity for small charities like The Butterfly Tree to increase our funding.

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The Big Give Christmas Callenge – an opportunity to support more orphans

Here again are the guidelines:

Between the 5th to 7th December we need to raise £10,000 via The Big Give – if we reach this amount during that period our donations will be doubled to £20,000 – please can you help us?

  • When – 10am (GMT) prompt on the 5th, 6th and 7th December – as the donations close once an amount is reached
  • If it says ‘your donation has not been matched’ please refresh and keep trying as more money may become available
  • Where – to The Butterfly Tree’s ‘Orphan Support’ project by clicking on this link to the Big Give website
  • How – on line using a credit or debit card on the Big Give website

If you are making your first donation through the Big Give, our simple guide is here to help. Before you begin, make sure you have the following to hand:

  • Your credit/debit card
  • A valid email address
  • Your 3D Secure password (if your card requires 3D Secure
  • More details are vbelow

Making your donation

  1. Click on a bauble on the homepage or search by keyword.
  2. Choose a project that you would like to support and click on the name of the project. In this case The Butterfly Tree Orphan Support project.
  3. On your chosen project’s profile, click on the “Donate Online Now” button.
  4. On this page, you will see whether there are currently funds available to double your donation – remember that this may have changed by the time you click ‘submit’ so this will be confirmed on the next page. If you would like to make a donation, enter the amount you wish to donate in the box provided.Remember to tick the ‘Yes’ box to claim Gift Aid if you are an eligible taxpayer. Then click ‘Submit’.
  5. You will now either be shown a ‘reservation’ page which tells you that funds have been reserved to match your donation, or you will be shown a page which states that your donation will not be doubled and asks you to confirm that you understand this.
  6. You will then be taken to the card payment page to finalise your donation. You will need your credit or debit card and must complete all boxes with a ‘*’ next to them. Please note you will be required to enter an email address.
  7. Once you have completed all of the necessary boxes, click ‘Submit’ at the bottom of the page to process your donation.
  8. You may now be taken to a 3D Secure site to complete your donation. Please see below for more information on 3D Secure.
  9. You will then arrive at our ‘thank you’ page and will be emailed a receipt of your donation.

If you require any further details please send an email to jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk or telephone: + 44 (0) 1926 843699

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