The Butterfly Tree, founded in 2006, is about to complete another successful year. In the past year we developed more schools, built a new health post, installed boreholes and toilets, and initiated sustainable income-generating projects for women and young people with disabilities, to provide food security.
In addition we distributed thousands of mosquito nets for the prevention for malaria and sponsored new orphans and vulnerable children in primary and secondary schools.
SPONSORED PUPILS – MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Constructed by former sponsored orphans, this month our trained youth builders completed a 1×3 classroom block for Musokotwane Secondary school. Generously funded by The Murphy Family Foundation the donation includes computers, science equipment and desks, as well as power for the entire school. Furthermore the donor is funding a 1×3 classroom block at River View Secondary school, which is currently under construction.
NEW IX3 CLASSROOM BLOCK – MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY SCHOOL
This week our young builders will commence construction for a new secondary school at Nguba, which will include a 1×3 classroom block, a staff house and toilets. A further team will head to Bbombe Lyangoma, a remote area in Nyawa, to build a 1×2 classroom block and toilets for their community school. Both are being funded by a private donor.
BBOMBE LYANGOMA COMMUNITY SCHOOL TO RECEIVE A 1X2 CLASSROOM BLOCK AND TOILETS
The special education class at Mukuni recently received donations of footballs, sports kits and learning materials. This facility is vital in helping children, who have a wide range of difficulties, including intellectual impairment and Cerebral Palsy, to keep active and to be educated. The charity also built special education classrooms at Katapazi and Simango schools, and offers ongoing support.
SPECIAL EDUCATION PUPILS – MUKUNI PRIMARY SCHOOL
March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness month and without our support children like Joseph, may not have been able to walk let alone be educated. At the age of six Joseph could not walk. The charity funded a 12-month course of physiotherapy after which he was sponsored to go to school. Now aged fifteen Joseph thrives at the special education class and plays football.
JOSEPH TRIVES AT MUKUNI SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS
A health post at Mabwa, consisting of a clinic, two staff houses, toilets, biodigester for waste, a borehole and equipment, is now complete. This facility will shortly be handed over to the Ministry of Health who will provide trained medical staff, and the ongoing costs. A generous grant from the Overseas Aid and Development Commissionof Guernsey funded this project.
WOMEN IN MABWA CELEBRATING THE NEW HEALTH FACILITY
Following on from the distribution of mosquito nets in Mabwa and neigbouring schools, children in Kauwe Primary and Secondary schools received 1,000 nets as part of our ‘Mosquito nets for Schools’ programme. The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust generously support this programme.
DISTRIBUTION OF MOSQUITO NETS – KAUWE
This month we successfully drilled three boreholes for Nguba Secondary school, and Kamusiku and Monono Primary schools and surrounding villages. A further two boreholes will be drilled this week. We are currently developing sustainable food projects for women, and young people with physical and mental health challenges with the support from our Canadian partner, Give a Hand, and private donors.
DRILLING FOR WATER – NGUBA SECONDARY SCHOOL
Water and food projects are paramount. On the 1st March, the President, Hakainde Hichilema, declared the prolonged dry spells in Zambia as a National Disaster and Emergency. ‘Today, with heavy heart, we address you, as our beloved country faces a severe drought, the worst of its kind, caused by the El Niño weather conditions in the 2023/24 rain season and influenced by climate change.’
Though we cannot help everyone we are sourcing funds to install additional water systems and to provide new innovative solutions to end hunger. Our aim is for more women to manage food security for their families and for income-generation. If you would like to offer a donation please click on this link to see the different options or contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk
Thank you to all our donors, volunteers and fundraisers for your tremendous support and I would to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy Easter.
In January 2006 I first visited Mukuni Village, a far cry from the luxury hotel I was staying at alongside the mighty Victoria Falls. Little did I know that just two hours spent meeting the friendly and humble Leya people would result in a life-changing experience.
THE MIGHTY VICTORIA FALLS
Eighteen years on I am still as passionate about helping orphans as I ever was. The Butterfly Tree has transformed the lives of thousands of vulnerable children and continues to expand our work to remote areas in the Southern Province of Zambia. Earlier this month grades 7 and 9 results were announced and most of the pupils under sponsorship have passed their exams, those attending River View school have done particularly well.
SPONSORED PUPILS – RIVER VIEW
2024 has got off to a great start with funding in place for another 1×3 classroom block thanks to the generosity of a private donor. Currently we are constructing a classroom block at River View Secondary school, two more will shortly be under construction and another one will be completed this month at Musokotwane Secondary school. We are so grateful for the support of The Murphy Family Foundation and other donors.
1X3 CLASSROOM BLOCK OPENING IN FEBRUARY – MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY
The Ministry of Education is changing the Zambian education system. In future primary schools will accommodate only grades 1 to 7, while secondary schools will take grades 8 to 12. Hence the need for further development in secondary schools. Some schools like Ngandu have grades 1 to 9 and will remain with those classes for some time as they have adequate facilities for the number of pupils.
NGANDU PRIMARY SCHOOL
We received the second phase of funding from the Overseas Aid and Development Commission to complete the new health post for the Mabwa. The donation includes a clinic, two staff houses, a borehole, a biodigester for waste, equipment and supplies. We have already distributed the mosquito nets to the schools in this zone. Kauwe, another zone, where there is a high prevalence of malaria, has just received over 1,000 mosquito nets thanks to a generous grant from the The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust.
MOSQUITO NETS FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
Twenty seven orphans and vulnerable families are to be given new homes from our long-term donor, Motive Real Estate, Texas and an individual donor. These will be given to those living in the most dilapidated and overcrowded houses. The Mukuni Village Trust continues to sponsor 40 children on our orphan sponsorship programme. For over a decade this Australian group has supported the charity and Mukuni Chiefdom.
COMMUNITY HOUSE FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN
Unfortunately, the new school year opening date has been pushed back due to an outbreak of cholera. The latest news from the World Health Organisation states: ‘Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and others, World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the government to effectively roll out the oral cholera vaccination campaign as well as bolster ongoing outbreak control measures.‘ Though it is mainly in Lusaka, the capitol city, and townships, we are closely monitoring the situation and providing support to protect our local team. Monthly donations from Blooms the Chemist, Australia will provide additional PPE for three rural clinics – Simonga, Bunsanga and Mambova.
All our projects, including the women’s agricultural pruduction ones and the one for young people with disabilites, funded by Give a Hand, Canada, as well as community housing, and construction work will continue as normal as the rural areas where we work are not currently effected by the outbreak.
The Zambian school year ended at the beginning of December and I am delighted to report that a further sixteen pupils from The Butterfly Tree’s orphan sponsorship programme have completed school.
Since early 2006 the charity has sponsored thousands of orphans and vulnerable children, initially at Mukuni Primary school and now reaching out to pupils at N’gandu, Kamwi, Ndele, River View, Lumbo, Senkobo and Musokotwane schools. In addition we are sponsoring five pupils at Kazungula boarding school as well as college and university students.
SPONSORED PUPILS – MUKUNI SECONDARY SCHOOL
Not everyone succeeds and some do fall by the wayside, sadly leaving school prematurely due to pregnancies and social issues. We are stepping up our peer education programme in all schools to help educate these vulnerable children on HIV prevention, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and drug and alcohol abuse. This programme empowers young people and will enable them to make informed choices.
EMPOWERING YOUNG PEOPLE – KAUWE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Several school leavers who must wait until March for their examinations results are currently volunteering for The Butterfly Tree and being trained to become peer educators. Besides helping to tackle social problems it gives them an opportunity to gain confidence, and to give back to their community.
At the end of November five schools – River View, Singwamba, Katondo, Nguba, Jane Kasela, and football teams participated in CNN’s Call To Earth initiative. Sponsored by The Butterfly Tree each school was invited to take action to clean up and protect their environment. Some wonderful ideas were put forward and pupils went about clearing rubbish from their surrounding areas, and educating people about the issues of burning charcoal, depleting forests and plastic waste. Mukuni youth football teams also helped to clean up their village, but the initiative that CNN reposted on their social medial channel was two girls from River View who made shopping bags and pencil cases from recycled plastic. Here is the link to their project on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PB_Z4GtFwdo
BAGS FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC – RIVER VIEW GRADE 8 PUPIL
Thanks to two substantial donations from Nick Bousliman and another regular donor we can install at least ten boreholes and initiate more sustainable income-generating food projects. This month we have successfully drilled boreholes at Siambelele and Musokotwane villages, and at Bbombe Lyangoma school. The latter is in a remote area of Nyawa where the nearest water source is 10km, consequently the school currently relies on shallow wells.
NEW BOREHOLE FOR SIMAMBELELE WOMEN’S PROJECT
Now that Bbombe Lyangoma community school has water we can develop the school. Funding from a private donor is in place to build a 1×3 classroom block. The only facility at the school is a structure built by the community which is totally inadequate.
BBOMBWE COMMUNITY SCHOOL – NYAWA
The rainy season, though late and spasmodic, has started and this is the time when children need protection from malaria. We have received a substantial donation from The Angus Lawson Memorial Trust to purchase over 1,000 mosquito nets that will be distributed to pupils at Kauwe Primary and Secondary schools. The schools are located in a high malaria prevalence zone.
KAUWE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPILS TO RECEIVE MOSQUITO NETS
Earlier in the year two UK doctors who founded a charity called Make a Medic volunteered with The Butterfly Tree at N’gandu Junior Secondary School. In addition to helping with workshops they donated 240 textbooks to improve exam results, and four houses for orphans, as well as funding future HIV prevention workshops for continuity. The school has improved generally as a result of this donation.
N’GANDU JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL – TEXTBOOK DONATION
Until crops have grown food is in short supply and there is much hunger in the villages. Leading up to Christmas we are appealing for donations to purchase bags of ground maize to distribute to the elderly, widows, and vulnerable people. The orphans on sponsorship will automatically be given a bag of maize. A 25kg bag of ground maize can feed a family of four for three weeks. The cost is £7 ($10). If you would like to make a donation please visit our DONATION page or send a request for our bank details to jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk
FOOD DONATIONS FOR ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN
I would like to thank everyone, whether you are a donor, supporter, fundraiser, trustee or volunteer for your unwavering support to The Butterfly Tree. 2023 is proving to be one of our most successful years to date. Wishing you all a very happy and joyful Christmas, and peace and good health in the New Year.
I recently returned from three wonderful and rewarding weeks in Zambia with temperatures ranging from 38 to 41 degrees and the time simply flew by. The Butterfly Tree has so many new and exciting on gong projects that it was impossible to visit all of them. I did manage to drive to many of them some of which are in the remote areas of Nyawa.
These include the new health post at Mabwa which should be completed by the end of the year. The entire community was out to welcome us and were helping with unskilled labour. A grant from the Guernsey Overseas Aid and Development Commission is funding this invaluable facility, which will include a clinic, two staff houses, biodigester, toilets and a borehole.
WELCOME FROM MABWA COMMUNITY
Mabwa Primary school received a donation of mosquito nets to protect children against malaria, and earlier this year a borehole. We also paid a visit to Kauwe Secondary School where we were told there is a high number of teenage pregnancies. Involving our peer educators and role models, who are former beneficiaries from our orphan sponsorship programme, pupils were given a talk on the dangers of HIVand AIDS, teenage pregnancies, and alcohol and drug abuse.
DONATION OF MOSQUITO NETS – MABWA PRIMARY SCHOOL
It was great to see a new 1×3 classroom block under construction at Musokotwane Secondary school. Three of our sponsored builders were on site, including Thabo who was awarded the best bricklayer while at college, in 2022. The Murphy Family Foundation is funding this project which will also include desks, computers, and electrification for the entire school. The same donors have also funded a 1×3 classroom block at River View Secondary school, shortly to be constructed.
1 X 3 CLASSROOM BLOCK – MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY SCHOOL
After visiting Musokotwane Secondary school we proceeded to distribute textbooks to at the Primary school and also Sinde Primary School. This was followed by a meeting with women in Musokotwane to initiate a new vegetable-growing project. Just before the start of the meeting a storm appeared from nowhere and for over an hour, we had to take shelter in a church. Such was the noise from the howling wind and rain bouncing off the iron sheet roof that it was impossible to have a conversation!
DONATION OF TEXTBOOKS – SINDE PRIMARY SCHOOL
On our return we passed by Muskotwane Primary school and was horrified to see the destruction caused by the storm. The roof of a 1×2 classroom block and the head teacher’s office, had completely blown off with the iron sheets landing over 100 metres from the site. A dormitory had also lost its roof. Miraculously, there was only one injury when a young boy was hit by a falling brick. Our aim is to raise funds to help rehabilitate the facility.
DAMAGED CLASSROOM BLOCK – MUSOKOTWANE PRIMARY SCHOOL
As always it was a pleasure to meet up with the orphans, most especially at River View Secondary school where the first ever prize giving ceremony took place. I was moved to tears when a young amputee, who is on our sponsorship programme, received three prizes. Another sponsored pupil was awarded the maths prize and one girl was appointed Deputy Head girl for 2024. I also met up with those that are on sponsorship at Mukuni, Kamwi, Ng’andu, Senkobo and Musokotwane schools.
SPONSORED ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE PUPILS – RIVER VIEW SCHOOL
Once again, Jonathan Sedo from Costa Rica, came to volunteer. He spent a month giving extensive training to former sponsored pupils who are now running the Mukuni Village Tours project. This also includes a visit to Victoria Falls, which has strong links to the Leya tribe in Mukuni Chiefdom. The aim is for the guides to take ownership and earn a sustainable income.
SPONSORED PUPILS WITH BRAVE, MUKUNI VILLAGE TOURS MANAGER
The new project to empower young people with physical and mental challenges and those living with HIV was initiated thanks to a generous grant from our Canadian partner, Give a Hand. Sixty young people from Mukuni, Ng’andu and Kamwi will form a cooperative, which will include chicken rearing, and vegetable and crop growing. A borehole has already been installed at Kamwi for the vegetable growing.
VEGETABLE GROWING TO EMPOWER YOUNG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES
Thanks to two generous donors funding is in place to install eight more boreholes for schools, communities, and women’s vegetable growing projects. Sites have been selected and it is hoped that these can all be installed before the imminent onset of the rainy season.
I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our existing and new donors. This year is proving to be one of the most productive and successful since the founding of The Butterfly Tree in 2006. A special thanks to our amazing team of trustees and volunteers in Zambia, without them none of the above could have been achieved!
In the lead up to Christmas we will be raising funds for bags of ground maize to distribute amongst widows, the elderly, and orphans. A bag of maize costs £7 and can feed a family of four for three weeks. If you care to make a donations please use this link or request the charity bank details: https://thebutterflytree.org.uk/get-involved/online-donations/
On behalf of The Butterfly Tree I am delighted to present our Annual Report and Accounts for 2022-23. Please click on the link below to view or download the full report, the accounts, images and graphs.
In May 2022 I was able to return to Zambia for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Our local team who I had not seen for over two years greeted me with open arms. It was wonderful to back to spend time with them and to visit the many projects The Butterfly Tree has initiated in the past couple of years. I also visited in March 2023 when I was invited to meet Chief Nyawa, who is the traditional leader of the biggest Chiefdom in the Kazungula District with over four hundred villages. He was overwhelmed by the number of projects we have implemented and most appreciative of the support the charity has shown to his people. He actually asked me why I do it! I do it out of compassion for orphans and children who are born into extreme poverty, to give them hope.
The Butterfly Tree won two more awards: ‘Best Education Charity of the Year’ – Scotland Prestige Awardsand ‘HIV Support Non-Profit Organisation of the Year’ – Central England Prestige Awards
We continue to received substantial donations to support our orphan sponsorship programme and education projects. In addition to pupils being sponsored at Mukuni, Kamwi, Ngandu, Ndele, River View, Lumbo, Senkobo and Kazungula Boarding School, we have added Musokotwane to the list. Orphans can be found in every village living with elderly grandparents who do not have a source of income. The programme has helped hundreds of children to complete high school and beyond. Six students who completed school after being on The Butterfly Tree’s orphan sponsorship programme are currently attending university reading the following courses: microbiology, engineering, teaching, journalism, and two are learning accountancy. A third student is studying to be an accountant at college and two are enrolled at a nursing college. In addition, eleven students are learning skills at colleges in Livingstone. These include forward and clearing, catering, building, carpentry, and plumbing.
Throughout the year schools received donations of textbooks and desks. Three special education classes at Mukuni, Katapazi and Simonga shared a donation of educational materials. Our trained peer educators conducted workshops to talk to school children of all ages about the dangers of HIV, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, and alcohol and drug abuse.
After the completion of Katondo Health Post, which is now in full operation we received further grant aid to build a health post at Boombwe, a remote area in Musokotwane. The project included a clinic, two staff houses, toilets, a borehole, a biodigester, and medical equipment. Once it is fully operational people will no longer have to walk long distances to seek medical attention. Simonga, Mambova and Bunsanga health posts received monthly donations of medical supplies and 1,150 mosquito nets were distributed to help the global fight against malaria. These were given to teachers and school children in areas where malaria is most prevalent.
The builders that we sponsored are gaining more experience. They constructed a 1×2 classroom block at Mubuyu community school and two teacher’s houses at Musokotwane secondary school. They started another 1×2 classroom block at Malombe community school to replace the mud and pole construction, which was their main classroom. A further classroom block was built at Mukuni Primary School, and one other classroom and the special education class also at Mukuni underwent restoration work.
The most challenging of our projects is to provide safe drinking water. After receiving a substantial donation, we successfully drilled boreholes at Katubya, Malombe and N’gandu schools, the latter received a full water reticulation system to create a sustainable school garden as well as providing drinking water. A water system was also installed at Boombwe health post. Sadly, we could not find water at one school, after three attempts. This is costly and disappointing for the pupils and teachers, but when a drill is successful it is one of the most exhilarating sights as I have ever seen. The joy and jubilation for a community to have fresh water for the first time is so rewarding. In addition to improving health, it saves hours of time collecting water from polluted streams and rivers. More boreholes are to be drilled in the coming months.
During my visit to Zambia in May last year I was joined by a volunteer from Costa Rica. Jonathan, an eco-tourism consultant, first volunteered for the charity in 2013. This time he came to initiate the Mukuni Village Tours. Mukuni with its close proximity to the mighty Victoria Falls is a popular tourist destination. Tour operators charge between $50 – $120 for just a two-hour visit. After selecting school leavers from our orphan sponsorship programme Jonathan spent a month training them to become guides to take visitors on a tour of Mukuni Village and also the Victoria Falls. The aim is for them to have a sustainable enterprise, which is being offered on Airbnb Experiences and Trip Advisor.
As tourism picks up after the pandemic more volunteers and visitors are expected. To help safeguard the children and communities where we work all volunteers must have a DBS certificate or the equivalent in their country. They are accompanied by one of The Butterfly Tree NGO team, a teacher or medical worker. Participating as a volunteer can be a life-changing experience – four of our UK team joined the charity after volunteering in Mukuni.
The women’s projects are progressing well. Honey production, mango produce, chicken rearing and vegetable growing are providing communities with an income. The one in Sekute is so successful that the women donate some of their profits to the elderly, disabled and widows. This coming year we aim to initiate a project for young people with physical and mental challenges and those living with HIV. Rarely do they get an opportunity to earn an income.
Eleven community houses were built for orphans, widows, and the elderly. The most vulnerable are helped and in the case of orphans the homes are shared with their siblings.
In addition to raising awareness of the dangers of HIV, teenage pregnancies, early marriages, alcohol and drug abuse through our peer education programme we encourage young people to get involved with sport. After the success of the boys’ football tournaments, we have encouraged girls to form teams – tournaments took place during the Christmas period at Singwamba and Mukuni. Since forming these teams all the girls in the Mukuni team passed grade 7 and 9 examinations.
A special thanks to my fellow trustees Ann, Jackie and Anthony, who provide support behind the scenes in accounting, safeguarding and fundraising. We were delighted to welcome Anthony O’Neill to the Board in October 2022, who has been a keen supporter of the charity for several years. Many thanks to volunteers David, Carolyn, Leah, Valerie and Steven for giving up their free time to help with IT, fundraising, youth projects, and child protection and safeguarding. Thanks also to Frank Maiola, our US representative. Much of our success is owed to our incredible team of Trustees in Zambia. They work tirelessly to initiate, manage and monitor all our projects. Mupotola Siloka (secretary/project management), Rev. Presley Mulenga (education), Martin Mushabati (community projects/sport) and Stain Musungaila (malaria prevention and community projects). Each of them has volunteered for the charity prior to and since the registration of the NGO in 2007. Also, thanks to our Zambian volunteers who manage a variety of programmes. Natasha Mufeya, (orphan sponsorship/peer education/girls’ empowerment), Mafian Sitali (orphan sponsorship) and Lloyd Kasala (community projects, Nyawa). All our members both in the UK and Zambia are volunteers and are committed to helping young people to change their lives for the better.
More schools are being developed or expanded, and orphans that have been supported by The Butterfly Tree from an early age have gained employment. Following guidelines from the United Nation Development Goals we are making positive and sustainable change in health and education.
EDUCATION – Two community schools, Malombe and Katubya in the Kazungula District, had only mud and pole constructions. Neither had access to safe water. Malombe now has a 1×2 classroom block and a borehole. The construction was built by two skilled builders who was sponsored by the charity. A borehole was recently installed at Katubya and construction of a 1×3 classroom block has commenced.
Two secondary schools, River View and Musokotwane, developed by the charity are to receive additional support. River View now has in excess of 1,700 pupils from early learning to grade 12. Thanks to a substantial donation from The Murphy Family Foundation we are about to construct two 1×3 classroom blocks for the secondary section of both schools.
SCIENCE LABORATORY – MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY SCHOOL
Each school will also be given 75 desks. In addition Musokotwane’s donation will enable the school to have electricity throughout the facility, and computers for their IT section.
ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP – More young people under sponsorship have recently completed skill courses. The courses included hotel management, catering, forward and clearing, and building. One of the young men on the building course was awarded ‘student of the year.’ We are grateful to the Mukuni Village Trust (Australia), along with so many individual donors who continue to sponsor children and youths who have lost one or both parents.
SPONSORED CHILDREN – N’GANDU JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
During a recent recruitment by the Zambian army eight young people who were sponsored by The Butterfly Tree have been enrolled. This is quite rare for an orphan or vulnerable young person from a rural village to be selected and we congratulate them on their achievement.
The special education class at Mukuni had a treat when a donor offered to fund a party for them. A cake, sodas and biscuits were given out and the children danced to music. There are 27 children in the class, and each has been given a school jersey from another donor.
SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS – MUKUNI PRIMARY
HEALTH – The new health post site for Mabwa has been chosen by the Ministry of Health who will run the facility once completed. A borehole is being drilled on Wednesday, this will be followed by the construction of a clinic, two staff houses, toilets and Biodigester for waste disposal. The project is being funded by further grant aid from the Overseas Aid and Development Commission of Guernsey.
MALARIA – We are delighted to learn that our contribution to the fight against malaria in Zambia is producing significant results. Livingstone is the capitol of tourism. The City Council Chairman last week announced that our safe interventions have resulted in the area being virtually malaria-free. He added that no other organisation’s interventions have been as effective as that of The Butterfly Tree’s. Using larvicide, a safe product that prevents larva developing into mosquito, the mosquito population has reduced significantly in Livingstone and surrounding areas. This is good news for the local people and for tourism!
ZAMBEZI RIVER FLOWS OVER THE VICTORIA FALLS NEAR LIVINGSTONE
Our sincere thanks to all our donors and sponsors who continue to support these worthwhile projects, helping to improve basic essentials for the lives of orphans and vulnerable people in Zambia.
The Butterfly Tree continues to make considerable progress in providing improved water, health and education facilities in Zambia. It is hard to believe that in 2023 people are still walking 10 miles to fetch drinking water and as many as 50 miles to seek medical care.
MORE THAN 6 MILLION PEOPLE IN ZAMBIA DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER
HEALTH – The fully equipped health post at Boombwe, in Musokotwane Chiefdom is now complete. Due to the remoteness and poor access, the drilling companies would not venture to this area. To overcome the issue we repaired the borehole at Boombwe school, installed a solar-powered water reticulation system with a submersible pump. After linking it to the health post, both facilities now have access to clean water. Below is a testimonial from the Senior Headman:
‘On behalf of the community, we would like to thank The Butterfly Tree. For Boombwe this donation is like a dream as we have been without such a facility for many years and had to walk long distances to seek medical care, for some it was 60km. This resulted in relatives losing loved ones and women giving birth along the way before they could reach a clinic. As a community we are very happy for what The Butterfly Tree has donated. All the problems we had, have now been solved.’
TWO STAFF HOUSES – BOOMBWE RURAL HEALTH POST
Sadly, the mortality rate of mother and child is still alarmingly high in rural areas. The new clinic will include a maternity section for women to safely deliver their babies as opposed to home births. We are delighted to have been awarded further grant aid for 2023 from the Overseas Aid and Development Commission of Guernsey. This is to build a health facility at Mabwa in Nyawa Chiefdom. The development, like the one at Boombwe, will include a clinic, two staff houses, a biodigester for waste disposal, toilets, and a water system.
MALARIA – Mosquito nets will also be given to school children at Boombwe and neighbouring schools, to protect them against malaria. A recent donation from the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs will pay for five hundred mosquito nets.
MOSQUITO NETS PROVIDING PROTECTION AGAINST MALARIA
VOLUNTEERS – We are pleased to welcome international visitors back to see our projects in Zambia after their absence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two UK doctors who raise money, through Make a Medic a charity they initiated to provide medical students with educational resources volunteered in N’gandu. They spent a week working with our peer educators on HIV prevention and teenage pregnancies at the school. Through their organisation they gave a generous donation to build four homes for orphans, for the workshops, and for Maths textbooks.
The following week a group of American University students spent time at Mukuni, teaching pupils at the primary school. They kindly donated educational supplies, and bags of ground maize for the elderly.
UK DOCTORS WORKING WITH OUR PEER EDUCATORS
EDUCATION – A new 1×2 classroom block is currently under construction at Malombe community school where we recently installed a borehole. Next month we will be adding a borehole and 1×3 classroom block for a school a community school at Katabuya. Pupils are being taught in mud and pole structures. Their drinking water comes from shallow wells as the nearest water source is 10km from the school.
DRINKING WATER SOURCE – KATABUYA COMMUNITY SCHOOL
ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP – We are extending our orphan sponsorship programme to help more children, who have lost one or both parents or who are vulnerable. Managed by Natasha, a former sponsored orphan, children from the following schools are being supported: Mukuni, N’gandu, Kamwi, Ndele, River View, Lumbo, Senkobo and Musokotwane.
Six students have recently completed skilled-based courses, five students are enrolled at university and four are attending college. Their courses include pharmacy, accountancy, engineering, teaching, journalism and nursing.
SPONSORED ORPHANS – SENKOBO SCHOOL
The special education class at Mukuni had a rare treat last week thanks to a donor offering to fund a party. A cake, snacks and drinks were shared with everyone, the music was playing and all of the children enjoyed dancing. The Butterfly Tree built a classroom to accommodate children with special needs in 2008, and has continued to support this vital facility with help from St James’s Place Foundation. Prior to this most children remained at home.
SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS – MUKUNI PRIMARY SCHOOL
Thank you to everyone who voted for the WAFA awards, the entire procedure was complicated and lengthy and many said they had difficulty voting – we apologise for any inconvenience. We did not win the food category. However, much to our surprise we have won an Aquisition International Non-Profit Award, which was chosen by a panel of experts instead of having to reply on a voting system. The Butterfly Tree voted – ‘Best Africa Focused Clean Water & Sanitation Provider 2023’ – UK
We are absolutely thrilled to receive this award and would like to thank all our donors who have supported our water and sanitation awards in Zambia since 2006. Not forgetting to thank supporters of our health, education and community projects, and most especially our orphan support programme. All of you have helped us to gain significant recognition for our work in Zambia, but more importantly our projects have improved the lives of thousands of orphans and vulnerable people.
On Tuesday I returned to the UK after spending three weeks in Zambia checking on our many projects and sourcing new ones. I find it hard to believe it is now over seventeen years since I first visited Mukuni Village. Starting with an orphan sponsorship programme The Butterfly Tree branches have grown significantly. We have projects throughout the Kazungula District as well as Livingstone and Zimba Districts.
SPONSORED ORPHANS – N’GANDU JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL
Today we are building entire schools, health posts and community houses. We install boreholes and water reticulation systems, and sanitation for remote schools and communities. We provide support for HIV prevention and Girls’ Empowerment, and initiate sustainable income-generating enterprises for women and youths. We help the global fight against malaria.
NEW BOREHOLE – JAMES SIATCHEMA PRIMARY SCHOOL, NYAWA
None of this could have been achieved without the generous support of our donors, some have been donating since 2006. The money we raise comes from grant aid, trusts, individuals, corporate, schools, clubs and other organisations. Every donation we receive, whether it be big or small counts, and helps to improve the lives of some of the most vulnerable children on the planet.
SIMONGA MATERNITY WARD – LIVINGSTONE DISTRICT
We have a wonderful team of volunteers both in the UK and Zambia who are committed to our grass root cause and have been paramount in the charity’s success. Working alongside our Zambian team gives me an incite into how much time is needed to initiate, manage and monitor the projects on the ground. I drove over 1,200 km while in Zambia to visits schools, communities and health posts. To access these remote areas, the tracks are often hazardous, during the rainy season – some become impassable.
CROSSING THE NGWEZI RIVER ON ROUTE TO NYAWA
These journeys give me the opportunity to meet pupils, teachers, and medical staff and to engage with the local communities. I see first hand the need but always ask the people what is required rather than telling the people what they should have. The difference a school borehole or classroom can make is remarkable. The difference a rural health post makes can be life-saving. Below are some of the main objectives we achieved during the past year.
PROJECTS FROM MARCH 31ST 2022 TO 1ST APRIL 2023
Health Post – Katondo including a clinic, two teacher’s houses, borehole and toilets
Health Post – Boombwe including a clinic, two teacher’s houses, borehole and toilets
Completion of classrooms – Mukuni, Kamwi and Sichifulo schools
Two teacher’s houses – Musokotwane Secondary School
Restoration of a primary school classroom and one for special education – Mukuni
Boreholes – Mambwa, James Siachema, Simukombo and Ngandu schools. Namyola and Hamoomba communities
Sustainable community project for women in Sekute
Donation of seeds and fertilizer – 50 schools in the Kazungula District
Distribution of ground maize to 2,500 households in four Chiefdoms
Distribution of mosquito nets to schools in Sekute and Nyawa
Donation of textbooks, materials, and desks – primary, special education and secondary schools
Donation of medical supplies – Simango, Mambova, Bunsanga and Mukuni clinics.
Sponsorship for orphans at seven schools, and for university and college students.
Sports sponsorship and football tournaments – selected charity for the Blackpool Cup
AWARDS2022-23
Scotland Prestige Awards ‘Education Charity of the Year‘ –winner.
Central England PrestigeAwards ‘HIV Support NPO of the Year’ – winner.
WAFA AWARDS shortlisted for the ‘FOOD’ Category – winner to be announced.
The Butterfly Tree has grown considerably since the founding. Consequently we have recently converted the charity from a trust to a Charitable Incorporated Organisation as recommended by the Charity Commission, and a criteria for some grant funding applications. ‘A CIO has its own legal identity, and is liable for its own debts as opposed to a trust, which holds assets for its beneficiaries.’ The CIO will give donors more security.
The Butterfly Tree will not change its aims or the way we operate. The same trustees and volunteers will continue to raise funds and awareness to help those most in need and as always no salaries, office rent nor personal fees will be deducted from donations. The new charity number is 1202390 and can be seen on theCharity Commission’s website, as it is newly registered there is no financial history listed. However, all the financial records for The Butterfly Tree trust can still be viewed on the Charity Commission website, using this link 1118084.
Our Annual Report and Accountsfor 2022-23, which will shortly be audited, and will be available to view in the next couple of months.
Many thanks to all our global donors, fundraisers, trustees and volunteers, both in the UK and Zambia, for making this another outstanding year for The Butterfly Tree, and most importantly for its beneficiaries.
The new school year in Zambia is now underway. I am pleased to report that most pupils on our orphan sponsorship programme have passed their grade 7 and 9 exams, with some gaining very good results. A further six pupils from Mukuni and three from River View completed high school in December. Their grade 12 results will be announced next month. Eight students are currently attending universities and college, while those who took skills courses last year, are doing work experience. The Murphy Family Foundation and the Mukuni Village Trust, Australia, have given considerable support to help orphans and vulnerable youths.
CHUUMA GAINED EXCELLENT GRADE 9 RESULTS
Thanks to a substantial donation from Nick Bousliman fifty rural schools received bags of seeds and fertilizer for their school gardens, to create sustainable feeding programmes. This generous donation also included 2,000 bags of ground maize for the elderly and vulnerable families, and five boreholes. In addition to this, donations from our successful Christmas Appeal enabled us to distribute more bags of ground maize in Mukuni, Sekute, Musokotwane and Nyawa. One grateful beneficiary from Nyawa sent the following message to The Butterfly Tree.
‘Food is scarce to us elderly especially at this time of year. I am a diabetic and having no food is a danger. Last week I collapsed and a good Samaritan took me to hospital where they put me on a drip of glucose. I didn’t have any food since the morning. Now that I have this bag of maize I will be moving with a bowl of nsima and eat whenever I feel weak. Thank you Butterfly Tree for saving lives.’
FOOD DISTRIBUTION – NYAWAFOOD DISTRIBUTION – N’GANDU
The second phase of the new health post at Boombwe is underway. The development, funded by the Overseas Aid and Development Commission, Guernsey, includes a clinic, two staff houses, toilets and biodigester. Mosquito nets were donated to Boombwe school children as there is a high prevalence of malaria. Blooms the Pharmacy, Australia continue to provide medical supplies for Bunsanga, Simonga and Mambova health posts.
MONTHLY DONATION OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT
The three women’s projects in partnership with Give a Hand, Canada are going well. Muyunda women are busy collecting honey from wild bees to earn an income by selling honey and beeswax. The Musokotwane ‘Mangoes of Hope’ women sold all the jam they made during the mango season and will again grow tomatoes until the next season. The ‘Hope for a Better Future’, which includes rearing chicken and growing vegetables for women in Sekute, is doing exceptionally well. The women have sought good markets for the chicken and vegetables’ sales, which are proving to be highly lucrative.
VEGETABLE GROWING – SEKUTE
During the Christmas holidays three football tournaments took place for U-17 girls in Mukuni, Senkobo and Nyawa, and one for U-17 boys in Mukuni. The aim is to help prevent HIV, early pregnancies, alcohol and drug abuse by encouraging youths to engage in sport. All participants must attend The Butterfly Tree HIV prevention workshops. This was sponsored by Blackpool Cup who have chosen The Butterfly Tree as their charity partner for their 2023 tournament.
MUKUNI UNDER-SEVENTEEN’S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT WINNERS
On behalf of The Butterfly Tree trustees in the UK and Zambia we would like to wish all our donors, supporters, volunteers and fundraisers a very happy Christmas and a healthy and peaceful New Year.
As another year closes the charity shortly enters its seventeenth year and once again I am pleased to report that we’ve had a very succussful year. Below are some of the highlights:
Completion of a health post with staff houses – Katondo
Completion of a classroom – Mubuyu community school
Completion of a classroom – Kamwi junior school
Completion of a classroom – Chabalanda junior
Completion of a classroom – Mukuni junior school
Expansion of Sichifulo junior secondary school
Donation of desks – Mukuni and Kamwi junior schools
Donations of textbooks to 20 schools
Installation of seven boreholes for schools and communities
Two mother’s shelters – Manyemuyemu and Siakachapa
Support to health centres – Mambova, Simonga, Bunsanga and Mukuni
Donation of mosquito nets to school children and insecticidal coating of houses – Moomba
20 community houses for orphans and widows
‘Mangoes of Hope’ – sustainable community project for women – Musokotwane
‘Hope for the Future’ – sustainable community project for women – Sekute
Sponsorship of 7 university students and 14 college students
Sponsorship of 250 orphans and vulnerable children
Donation of seeds and fertilizer to 50 schools for sustainable feeding programmes
Distribution of 2,500 bags of ground maize to orphans and vulnerable families
Two staff houses soon to be completed – Musokotwane high school
Health post currently under construction – Boombwe
Thanks to your tremendous support we have enabled thousands more vulnerable children to have access to safe water, feeding programmes, improved health and education facilities, malaria and HIV prevention and better houses. In addition, women have sustainable income-generating enterprises and communites have boreholes and accessible health posts and no longer have to walk long distances for these essential services.
