FUNDRAISING AND ONLINE DONATIONS

Posted on June 12, 2019 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

After seven years of excellent service Mydonate is closing on the 30th June. Since 2012 British Telecom has provided us with a free platform to facilitate our online donations. We have recently conducted extensive research and pleased to announce Kindlink a new platform that has similar values and tools, and is easy to use. In addition we have registered with PayPal Giving Fund, which is 100% free or you can use the normal PayPal method – charities are given a reduced rate of 1.4%.

STUNNING MURAL, WITH CHILDREN ADDING THEIR ‘BUTTERFLY’ HANDPRINTS PAINTED BY LUCY MACHIN

For those donors and sponsors that pay monthly through Mydonate, you can either switch to Kindlink or the simplest way is to set up a monthly standing order through your bank. Should you prefer this method please contact us for our bank details. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and hope that you will continue to support our worthy cause.

MONTHLY DONATIONS CAN HELP AN ORPHAN TO BE EDUCATED

The continuing severity of the food crisis is taking up a great deal of our time, fortunately, the first quarter of our new financial year has got off to an amazing start, which has enabled us to reach areas in much need. A huge thank you to everyone who has sent in donations, we are distributing over 4,000 bags of maize in Mukuni, Sekute and Nyawa Chiefdoms. Sadly, we appear to be the only charity offering assistance and people are desparate. As yet, nothing has been forthcoming from my continual pleas to the big organisations.

MAIZE BEING STORED READY TO TAKE TO OUTREACH VILLAGES AND SCHOOLS

Schools and individuals have helped us by setting up their own Facebook pages to raise funds. All you need to do is add a donation button to your page and support The Butterfly Tree, this is a totally free service. Lucy, who recently volunteered in Zambia, raised a considerable amount of money using this method, as well as painting the stunning mural, pictured above. Our thanks to Tring School for their successful fundraiser for the food crisis.

THE CHARITY IS DAILY DISTRIBUTING BAGS OF MAIZE

We are looking forward to receiving more volunteers and visitors this year. These include pupils from Arnewood School in Hampsire who raised money for a boarding shelter, Daemon College, New York to volunteer with medical staff at Mukuni, and Blooms Pharmacist, Australia, who are generously donating a maternity ward for Simango Health Post. In addition Margaret and Casey, long standing donors, are to visit with their family, who have donated latrines and a borehole.

SIMONGA HEALTH POST TO HAVE A MATERNITY WARD

There are so many ways to fundraise and one of the easiest is to get your schools and communities involved. I was recently contacted by a passionate football fan from Scotland who has set up Pepe’s Zambia Football Foundation. Scott, the founder, is collecting football strips and raising funds to advance football for rural schools and local teams in Zambia. We are delighted to form a partnership, which will help to boost our ‘Butterfly Sport‘ project to tackle HIV, teenage pregnancies and other social issues.

SCOTT’S SON PICTURED WITH ANDY ROBERTSON, SCOTLAND’S CAPTAIN & LIVERPOOL PLAYER, WHO SIGNED MEMORABILIA TO AUCTION

If you require further information about using the new donation platform, need our bank details or would like to do some fundraising for The Butterfly Tree, please contact me via email: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

RESPONSE TO THE FOOD CRISIS IN ZAMBIA

Posted on May 13, 2019 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

I cannot thank enough, all the individual people, schools and businesses, most recently Dawson Group, who have sent in donations and messages in support of our food crisis appeal in Zambia. Your help has enabled us to reach out to orphans and vulnerable children, most epsecially those with HIV, who need food to take their medication, and also elderly people who have no one to provide for them.

DISTRIBUTION OF MAIZE TO ORPHANS – KAMWI VILLAGE

To assist the Zambian government and rural communities we are currently distibuting maize in Nyawa, Sekute and Mukuni Chiefdoms, after conducting surveys in several areas. One result, from a remote area in Nyawa where the people are dependent on growing maize for their own consumption as well as selling it to earn an income, showed that 62% of households headed by women and the elderly looking after grandchildren, did not have food. This is the case in most rural areas thoughout the Southern Province.

COMMUNITIES FAILED TO GROW MAIZE DUE TO LACK OF RAIN

In addition we will support community schools, such as Bunsanga, that do not come under the World Food Programme. For those that do, schools reopen today, after a month’s break, and if a feeding programme is available it will help to reduce the burden and at least give growing children one meal per day. We are to provide on going food for boarders at both Mukuni and River View Schools. These pupils, from remote villages, must take food supplies with them, but sadly due to the drought parents simply don’t have sufficient food.

BUNSANGA COMMUNITY SCHOOL TO BE PROVIDED WITH MAIZE

On a happier note our other projects are doing really well. New classrooms will shortly be completed for River View, Kawewa and Muyunda Schools and latrines are being added to Bunsanga School. Bunsanga is also to gain a health post, the closest one is 16km from the village. This will enable to Ministry of Health to have a safe facility to provide maternity care, vaccinations, and malaria and HIV prevention.

NEW SCHOOL FOR MUYUNDA COMMUNITY – NYAWA CHIEFDOM

Our malaria prevention programme has received a substantial boost thanks to a grant from the Hilary and Neil Murphy Foundation. Mosquito nets will be puchased for at least three schools and more villages will have protection when their houses have been painted with safe insecticidal coating. Our most recent project in villages in Nyawa, where there was a high prevalence of malaria, reports no new cases on malaria since the application took place in April 2018.

DISTIBUTION OF MOSQUITO NETS – KAWEWA JUNIOR SCHOOL

All of our projects are vitally important. However, for now we urgently need funds to help with this dreadful food crisis. The drought is so widespread that we need more donations. It costs just £7 for a bag of maize, which will feed a family of 4, for 3 weeks. As always no adminstration fees will be deducted from your donations.

If you wish to donate please use either our secure online facility, Mydonate or send an email to request our bank details to jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

Jane Kaye-Bailey

FOOD CRISIS IN SOUTHERN ZAMBIA

Posted on April 30, 2019 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

As many of you, who regularly read our newsletters, will know I always try to report positive news as we are saturated with shocking and depressing news. Therefore I have given it a great deal of thought before writing this post.

During the last thirteen years we have made a sustainable impact in water, health, education and sustainable feeding programmes throughout the Kazungula District, which covers a wide area and has a population in excess of 70,000. However, never before have we had to contend with a severe drought – this is a perfect example of climate change!

THIS RIVER IN NYAWA WAS SO FULL LAST YEAR THAT IT CAUSED THE MAIN BRIDGE TO COLLAPSE

This years rainy season did not really happen, which has resulted in crop failures and dry streams and rivers. Last month I drove hundreds of kilometers visiting remote schools, health centres and villages and everywhere was the same picture. One month on the situation has worsened. This is the time when food is normally in abundance, maize and millet ripening and vegetables readily available. There will be no rain before the end of the year as it is now the dry season.

MAIZE CROP FAILURE – MUSOKOTWANE CHIEFDOM

While the bigger organisations and government are conducting surveys children are hungry. What makes it worse is that schools, that have feeding programmes, are closed for the break. At Easter we made our first distribution in Mukuni and N’gandu. This week we asked one of our young volunteers to do a survey in Kamwi Village, where we sponsor many orphans to go to their school. Today he reported the following: ‘they just eat only lunch no breakfast or supper sometimes nothing.’ Tomorrow we will be giving out bags of maize to all of these children.

SPONSORED ORPHANS AND AN ELDERLY LADY RECEIVE MAIZE – MUKUNI VILLAGE

I have contacted some of the big charities, had two responses and waiting to hear further from them. I have appealed on Facebook and Linkedin and been overwhelmed by the response. I would personally like to thank everyone who has supported this appeal, most especially the Hilary and Neil Charitable Trust, whose donation will buy 2,500 bags of maize, and also to St Matthews Accountancy.

DONATIONS TO ORPHANS AND AN ELDERLY MAN – N’GANDU VILLAGE

However, we need to do much, much more. Though we cannot help everyone we can certainly reach out to the orphans and vulnerable children that we support, and also the elderly who have lost their children. If we can provide food until the World Food Programme or some other big organisation steps in we can prevent children suffering from malnutrition.

We are now buying the courser grain which is cheaper than the refined maize, and has a higher nutritious content. If you would like to donate a bag of maize it costs just £7. Please use either our secure online facility, Mydonate or send an email to request our bank details to jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

Jane Kaye-Bailey

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

Good Rains Yield Bumper Crops

Posted on June 23, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

After two consecutive years of drought, this year saw an unprecedented amount of rain fall throughout Zambia. This created problems for some communities as they became inaccessible due to high river levels, but the great news is that it has helped to alleviate the hunger of the past two years.

FAST-FLOWING RIVERS BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO CROSS

If you have to walk several miles to school on an empty stomach, being able to receive food from a feeding programme is a huge benefit. Not only does it increase your stamina, but will improve your concentration levels. Sixteen schools in Mukuni and Nyawa Chiefdoms were given seeds and fertilizer thanks to your donations. Every available space is utilized and children are encouraged to help in the gardens.

BUMPER MAIZE CROPS FOR MUKUNI

Now Zambia is in the dry cool season, when no rain will fall until December. All surplus produce has been dried, and this year it is hoped that food supplements will not be as necessary as in recent years. Sadly some of the poorest families have not been able to grow their own food, relying on handouts from neighbours, but can at least eat the local fruits and seeds during this period, providing a much needed source of nutrition.

DRIED MAIZE STORED FOR THE WINTER MONTHS

In addition to the feeding programmes, having access to safe water is vital. As we branch out into new areas more wells and water systems are needed. In March I visited Luzila Village, a community in Sekute Chiefdom, The people have to draw water from a swamp during the wet season. Muselekwa, the Headman, told me that once the swamp is dry, people have to walk almost two miles to Lupani School to fetch water.

SWAMP NEAR LUZILA VILLAGE USED FOR DRINKING WATER IN THE WET SEASON

Four other villages rely on this swamp for drinking water, washing clothes and bathing. Muselekwa said that 600 people are in much need of a fresh local water source. Although they have access to the school bore hole, besides the distance, the extra demand often depletes the water supply. Muselekwa assured me that water can be sourced where there is a Muhonono Tree!

MUSELEKWA, VILLAGE HEADMAN – ‘WATER CAN BE FOUND WHERE THERE IS A MUHONONO TREE’

These communities receive no support from any other charity. Providing safe water and seeds for school gardens are two of The Butterfly Tree’s most successful programmes, together we can reach out to villages like Luzila.

Food, Homes and Sponsorship for Orphans

Posted on January 27, 2017 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

It never rains but it pours – as the proverb goes! After two years of drought the rains in Zambia have come in abundance, though this is great news for the farmers and school feeding programmes it comes with a price. Several schools and many mud huts have been damaged because of high winds and heavy rains.

Mubiana Community School – Mukuni Chiefdom

As always working in Africa is challenging. Extreme poverty, malaria, HIV and AIDS, and climate change are just some of the serious issues people living in countries like Zambia face daily. The work of The Butterfly Tree has helped to transform the lives of thousands of orphans and vulnerable children by providing improved education and health facilities, safe drinking water, feeding programmes and better housing.

New Bore Hole and Indian Hand Pump for Nguba Pupils in the Nyawa Chiefdom

Motive Real Estate has donated two further houses and will raise their number of donations throughout the year. For the elderly living in villages life is tough. Many have lost their children as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic, left with orphaned grandchildren and no income. Our community house project has provided homes for over seventy families.

Houses – Provided for the Elderly and Windows with Orphans

For the start of the new school year eighteen schools have been given seeds and fertiliser to grow food for their feeding programmes. A considerable number of new orphans are being sponsored mainly at Mukuni, N’gandu, Kamwi, Ndele and River View Schools, and seven students are attending college.

This Year Jacob Will Complete His Final Year at Agricultural College

Regrettably, we have had a problem with several teenage girls at in Mukuni and neighbouring villages falling pregnant. Not only have they lost the chance to complete their education, but there will be no support provided by social services. We are doing everything we can to prevent this from happening, we have trained peer educators who hold regular workshops on HIV prevention, teenage pregnancies and alcohol abuse, but sadly some still fall by the wayside.

Former Sponsored Orphans Trained as Peer Educators – Mukuni School

On a positive side the orphan sponsorship programme has enabled hundreds of orphans to receive a sound basic education. Some of the ones we started sponsoring back in 2006 have not only completed school, but have gained a college certificate and many others have sought employment. For just £10 per month an orphan is given hope and a chance for a better future. Thank to everyone of our sponsors for your invaluable support.

March 2016 Newsletter

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

I have just returned from Zambia after two weeks visiting the projects and sourcing new ones. Despite the drought, late rains provided a much needed supply of water, streams are filling up and the vegetation is lush and green. Millet and sorghum crops are growing well, but the early maize crops perished, the wet season is almost over and it will be at least six months before the next rains fall.

Jane with the Kamwi Twins

As always there are many projects to inspect, most especially the completed clinic at Mambova, funded by a private donor, which was a delight to see. The old crumbling clinic was infested with bats, so seeing patients being attended to at the new premises was a humbling experience. I also visited Musokotwane Clinic to donate blankets knitted by Inner Wheel District 6 Clubs and to offer them a Women’s Shelter funded by The Besom.

Newly opened clinic at Mambova

On other health issues we are getting great feedback from the new malaria prevention initiative, especially from Chuunga area where no new cases of malaria have been reported. In November we provided over 1,000 households with the safe insecticide coating – the results have been quite astonishing. More funds are needed to help other areas where there is a high prevalence of malaria. KarmaKarma‘s donation to purchase mosquito nets will give additional protection, the organisation also donated money to pay school examinations fees.

Malaria is prevalent in many areas in Zambia

As always I spent a great deal of time with the orphans and located new ones to be sponsored. Regrettably HIV is still on the increase, therefore we have stepped up our HIV prevention workshops using Meet Mutsa’s peer education method. It’s heart breaking to see so much loss. The younger generation must be protected. We have enrolled several of our former sponsored orphans, who have now completed high school, to be trained as peer educators.

HIV PREVENTION GROUP

It was a busy time at the schools, now on a month’s break. Sinsimuku Community School development is under way thanks to a further donation from Attraction Tickets Direct. We distributed more school bags at River View School through our partnership with School in a Bag, and Monde par la Main/Give a Hand donated funds for text books – Mukuni, River View, N’dele and Sinsimuku are the beneficiary schools.

School in a Bag donation – River View School

I am more determined than ever to create awareness and increase our fundraising efforts to provide much needed resources for water, food, health and education projects. We are very grateful to Colour Graphics who has kindly donated flyers, posters and banners to help with our campaign.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Ten Year Anniversary

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Ten years ago today I boarded a flight in Livingstone after spending an amazing week in one of the most stunning parts of Africa. The magnificent Victoria Falls is a World Heritage site and one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World. The area has an abundance of activities including game drives, elephant back safaris, river cruises and a cultural visit to Mukuni Village.

Victoria Falls – one of the seven natural wonders of the world

Little did I know that a visit to this renowned village would have such an impact on me and that I would be running a charity to support orphans and vulnerable children. Nor did I imagine that I would have a global following of volunteers and supporters and be working in over one hundred villages in remote areas of Zambia.

February 2007 – Mukuni Village Ceremony

Three weeks later I returned to Mukuni Village with my son younger son David. Inspired by three little girls, and after seeing so much need, The Butterfly Tree Charity was born. The following year we registered as an NGO in Zambia, which included the UK team and some remarkable local people who are still with me.

March 2006 – Angela, Esnat and Cynthia aged 3 and 4

What started as a project to sponsor a few orphans, followed by the construction of a high school, developed far beyond any of my expectations. My motto has always been ‘I do not expect anything so everything is a bonus.’ The bonus seems to get bigger every year and the reward is being able to reach out to ‘communities that need only the essentials in life – Water, Food, Health and Education‘.

2008 – First bore hole installed at Chise Village

Raising funds and awareness is not always easy, especially when there are so many good causes to support. Sadly charity in the UK has become big business and vast amounts of money are needed for salaries and administration costs. From its concept I insisted that The Butterfly Tree would be run entirely by volunteers in both the UK and Zambia. This has enabled all donations and grant aid to go directly into the grass root projects – this principle is still in place.

2009 – Mukun Secondary School 3 classroom block

Our projects include the development of some thirty schools and ten clinics. We have installed seventeen bore holes, constructed over eighty latrines and built seventy community houses. We have worked tirelessly to help with the prevention of HIV, training school leavers in peer education. We have sponsored several hundred orphans and helped thousands more to gain a sound basic education. We introduced the first special education units into Zambia and opened the nation’s first rural maternity clinic.

Some of the first orphans to be sponsored by the charity

In 2014 I was offered the opportunity to introduce a safe new malaria prevention initiative into Zambia. Up until then we had only worked at District level. It was a gamble, but after months of working with the Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Control Centre the method was accepted and we were given the licence to import and distribute the products. We started distribution into remote village in November 2015, and the reports coming in are quite remarkable.

2015 Mrs Maseka, member of the team, with volunteers at Chuunga Village

The Butterfly Tree is the first charity in the world to use this superior form of malaria prevention. Our involvement has enabled the UK company to use our name and reports to introduce the products into other countries, not only to help the fight against malaria, but also Zika, Dengue Fever and Chikungunya.

The home of these children has been coated to prevent malaria

I am so grateful to all the people who have helped me to achieve so much, most especially my sons Mike and David (a trustee), and trustees Miranda de Freston and Wendy Calloway. A special thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, donors and fundraisers who have given up their free time and a considerable amount of money to support The Butterfly Tree. None of the success could have been accomplished without our dedicated team in Zambia.

November 2015 – Esnat, Cynthia and Angela aged 12 and 13

With much appreciation,

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Water Crisis

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

For many of us the constant rainy days this winter have become tiresome. The ground is saturated, which restricts us being able to play sport, do the gardening or hang out the washing. Imagine what it would be like if you had no fresh water to drink, no rain to irrigate the crops and no streams to wash your clothes in.

Dry River – Southern Province

While some areas of the globe are experiencing excessive rain and flooding caused by El Niño, many countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are suffering from drought. Zambia is no exception. Though substantial rain has helped parts of the nation, areas between Zimba to Livingstone, in Southern Province, have been hit for the second consecutive year. The Chiefdoms where we work are in this region.

Dry Stream – Mukuni Chiefdom

Reports are coming in of dry streams, failed crops and food shortages. Children are drinking from shallow wells. At River View School, which is close to the Zambezi River, water is generally pumped from the river using an electric pump, but when there is no electricity, water has to be drawn from the river. Last week, a fourteen year old boy had a narrow escape. As he was drawing the water a friend noticed a crocodile heading towards him and thankfully alerted the boy in time!

Failed Maize Crop

Over one third of Zambia’s 15.5 million population do no have access to safe clean drinking water and 25% of all schools to not have a safe supply of water.

Shallow Wells used in Schools

We have successfully installed a number of bore holes and Indian hand pumps in schools, clinics and rural communities. This facility not only provides safe drinking water, but also a source of irrigation for school gardens to create sustainable feeding programmes. As maize is rain dependent we have introduced sorghum seeds for schools, the crop requires less water, along with vegetable seeds.

Safe Drinking Water for Sinsimuku Pupils

Our priority over the next few months will be to source funds to provide more remote schools and clinics with bore holes. If you are interested in supporting our water projects please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk or DONATE on line using our secure facilitator.

Happy New Year

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

2015 has been a year of considerable development for The Butterfly Tree and our rural communities in Zambia, most especially the national launch of the new malaria prevention project. Below are images showing some of this years achievements.