Category Archives: Malaria

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WIDESPREAD DEVELOPMENT IN KAZUNGULA

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The past year has been challenging for everyone not least for the charity sector. Though our funding was down on previous years I am delighted to say that we have made a great start to the new financial year. Since the first of April we have received a substantial boost for our health, education, and community projects.

BUNSANGA JUNIOR SCHOOL RECEIVE TEXTBOOKS

The support we are getting from both existing donors and new ones is quite remarkable. As always our aim is to better the lives and opportunities for orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. Thanks to a substantial donation from The Murphy Family Foundation, further education is to be offered to many more pupils. Those that have been on The Butterfly Tree’s sponsorship programme and completed school in 2020, are being offered an opportunity to go to university or college to gain an academic degree, or a skilled-based diploma. In addition, The Foundation has donated some of the funding for the purchase much needed textbooks.

TEXTBOOKS DONATED TO SINGWAMBA JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

This year we are supporting 9 students at university and college, studying the following topics: teaching, biomedicine, nursing, forward and clearing, and hotel management. Musenga, who was head boy at River View School, has just commenced a three-year nursing course. Owen from Mukuni, was recently awarded a good degree in biomedicine. We are also sponsoring 227 pupils at Mukuni, Ngandu, Kamwi, Ndele, River View and Kazungula Boarding School. So many of you have kindly supported orphans since 2006, for which we are grateful.

MUSENGA (LEFT) WAS HEAD BOY AT RIVER VIEW

Kamwi Junior School is under a development after receiving two private donations. Currently the school goes up to grade 7, after which pupils must walk a distance of 9 km, each way, to join grades 8 to 12 at Mukuni Secondary School. This will make a huge difference, especially for girls, who are vulnerable when walking alone. Expansion is also taking place at Muchambila and Muyunda Primary Schools, after receiving funds from a private donor who previously funded the school’s two classroom blocks.

KAMWI JUNIOR SCHOOL

On the health front, funding received for our malaria prevention programmes, in Zambia, has been significant. The Association of Inner Wheel Clubs have given us overwhelming support with so many of their individual Clubs and Districts donating to this vital cause. Fundraising has not been easy during the coronavirus pandemic, but what they have achieved is commendable. Stratford-upon-Avon Rotary Club recently gave the charity a donation for 300 mosquito nets to help eliminate malaria.

MOSQUITO NETS FOR 609 PUPILS AND TEACHERS – SINGWAMBA SCHOOL

One fundraiser tripled her target to raise money for mosquito nets. The founder of 52 Stitched Stories came up with a wonderful initiative, selecting butterflies as the theme, to raise money for mosquito nets. After gaining a global audience during 2020’s lockdown Fiona, the Founder, recently held a virtual Stitching Festival. Her committment  resulted in raising enough money to purchase 500 mosquito nets.

‘MOSQUITO NETS FOR SCHOOLS’ HELPING TO ELIMINATE MALARIA

After receiving further support from the Sacred Heart Foundation, London, two mother’s shelters are being built at Siakachapa and Manyemuyemu health centres. These are a great benefit for rural women enabling them to stay close to the clinic prior to the onset of labour. Additional support from this Foundation is funding HIV prevention peer education workshops, which are vital in preventing new case of HIV, teenage pregnancies and alcohol abuse. The Butterfly Tree has added mother’s shelters to the following health centres: Mukuni, Musokotwane, Kasiya, Mahalulu, Mambova, Sikaunzwe and Singwamba.

MOTHER’S SHELTER – SIKAUNZWE RURAL HEALTH CENTRE

After a reduction in COVID-19 Zambia are experiencing an increase in cases this month. We have supplied 13 schools and 10 rural health posts with PPE thanks to a generous donations from Blooms the Chemist, Australia. We continue to be mindful of our local Zambian team that they are taking care to prevent contracting coronavirus, while waiting to receive the vaccination. Currently, it is being rolled out to health workers.

PPE DONATION – BUNSANGA HEALTH POST

Last but by no means least I am delighted to be initiating a further project for 200 women funded by Give a Hand, our Canadian partner. The organisation has previously funded a beekeeping project for 200 women in Muyunda and a mango project, entitled ‘Mangoes of Hope’ for 200 women in Muyunda. Now women in Sekute Chiefdom will be given a chance to have a food producton project, rearing chickens and growing vegetables. These community projects are an invaluable way of providing a sustainable income-generating enterprises for vulnerable women. Besides empowering them it gives them an opportunity to better their lives and to educate their children.

SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION PROJECT FOR 200 SEKUTE WOMEN

We are delighted to be able to develop more schools and health centres in the Kazungula District and would like thank everyone who has supported The Butterfly Tree during these difficult times.

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WORLD MALARIA DAY – 2021

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The theme for World Malaria Day 2021 ‘Reaching the zero malaria target‘

Key facts from the World Health Organisation

  • Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable.
  • In 2019, there were an estimated 229 million cases of malaria worldwide.
  • The estimated number of malaria deaths stood at 409 000 in 2019.
  • Children aged under 5 years are the most vulnerable group affected by malaria; in 2019, they accounted for 67% (274 000) of all malaria deaths worldwide.
  • The WHO African Region carries a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2019, the region was home to 94% of malaria cases and deaths.

The Butterfly Tree is committed to helping the global fight against malaria and reducing the number of malaria cases in Zambia. Working with the Ministry of Health we are targeting areas that have a high prevalence of malaria.

COVID-19 has taken precedence other major diseases like malaria, but they must not be neglected. Unlike COVID-19 children are more susceptible to die from malaria than adults. Our ‘mosquito nets for schools‘ project is having an impact, whereby every child and their teachers are given a mosquito nets and monitoring and evaluation takes place. We have proved that this method is highly effective. In the past twelve months the following schools received 2,000 mosquito nets – Bunsanga, Malimba, Kamwi and Ndele and most recently, thanks to a substantial donation from Nick Bousliman, Singwamba and Chuunga.

As a result of the tremendous support we are receiving from the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs in Great Britain, this week a distribution of insecticidal coating and larviciding took place in remote areas of Moomba Chiefdom. Sibeso Maseka, one of our Zambian volunteers, who is an Environmental Health Technician, supervised a team who travelled some 300 km to provide protection in 650 dwellings. When they arrived, they found many people suffering from malaria, with 20 new cases being recorded per day.

Each home was painted with a safe insecticidal coating which is harmless to humans and animals. The mosquito, once it ingests the insecticide, will quickly fly off and die. The paint is effective immediately it dries and lasts for over 12 months. Normal practises are to use a harmful indoor residual spraying which is effective for only 3 months.

In partnership with the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs we have been working with Medical Aid Films who have produced a wonderful animated film on ‘How to Prevent Malaria‘. The Butterfly Tree had the script translated into Tokaleya, the local language used in the area of our work, for the film company and then we handed it over to the Kazungula Ministry of Health. This is now being used in clinics, throughout the District, as one of the main training resources.

The Butterfly Tree has been supporting malaria prevention since 2006 and made a significant impact in helping towards the WHO’s ‘zero malaria target’ in Zambia.

A mosquito net costs just £6 or $9 and could save a child’s life. If you would like to make a donation please click on this link.

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THE BUTTERFLY TREE 2006-2021

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Fifteen years ago today I flew to Zambia for the first time, little did I know that it would not only change my life for the better, but it would result in helping to change the lives of thousands of orphans and vulnerable children in one of the poorest countries on the planet.

TRADITIONAL DWELLINGS – MUKUNI VILLAGE 2006

Since the founding of the charity in 2006, and subsequent registration in 2007, The Butterfly Tree has considerably expanded. It began with sponsoring a few orphans in Mukuni Village and over the years it has developed into an accomplished organisation. Our work covers a vast area of the Kazungula District where we have built new schools and health centres, installed boreholes and water reticulation systems, initiated feeding programmes, implemented an advanced malaria prevention programme, and build houses for orphans and the elderly.

JANET, SPONSORED BY THE CHARITY, COMPLETED MUKUNI HIGH SCHOOL – DECEMBER 2020

What has helped to sustain the charity is using volunteers and registering our own NGO in Zambia, as well as the continual support from our donors, many of them have been with us from the beginning. Along the way we have gained hundreds of donors from all over the world. I am totally overwhelmed by the support we have received, and by the dedication of our wonderful trustees and volunteers who make everything happen. They have risen to the challenges of working in an area of extreme poverty, where both HIV and malaria are prevalent. More recently they have helped to raise funds, and provided emergency relief for communities, suffering from food shortages, due to a severe drought.

EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF – MAMBOVA COMMUNITY

Now with the COVID-19 pandemic we are facing a challenge on a scale that none of us have ever before experienced. HIV started off as an unknown virus, but now thanks to medical advancement and the development of antiretroviral drugs, people can live long and healthy lives. Amazingly, in barely a year since the pandemic was announced by the World Health Organisation, the coronavirus vaccines are being widely distributed. Zambia is expected to start the vaccination roll out in February, which will be a great relief as the new coronavirus variant from South Africa is spreading rapidly.

HAROLD, ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, DELIVERING PPE TO BUNSANGA HEALTH POST

Due to the recent increase in coronavirus cases in Zambia the opening on the new school year has been postponed until the 1st February. Projects that are taking place out in the open, such as the construction of the school expansion at Musokotwane, the teacher’s house and Muyunda, community houses for widows and orphans, and both the beekeeping and mango projects, will continue. As always we are mindful of the need to protect our volunteers and beneficiaries therefore, as before we are providing PPE to as many rural health centres as possible, and to schools when they open next month.

BEEKEEPING PROJECT FOR 200 WOMEN – MUYUNDA

In 2021 our aim is  to sponsor more orphans and continue to fund eight colleges and universities students. Fourteen pupils who were under sponsorship completed high school in December, without our support they would have dropped out of school at an earlier stage. Though the orphan sponsorship is the core of The Butterfly Tree, our WATER, FOOD, HEALTH and EDUCATION projects have a significant impact on vulnerable children in remote areas of Zambia. We have many more exciting projects ready to implement once it is safe to do so.

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STORIES OF HOPE – DAY 7

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Malaria prevention – Every two minutes a child dies from malaria. According to UNICEF, malaria there are 2,500 deaths each day, these are mostly children under the age of five in sub-Saharan Africa. Zambia has a high prevalence of malaria. The Butterfly Tree has provided tens of thousands of mosquito nets in rural areas throughout the Kazungula District. In 2017 ‘mosquito nets for schools’ was launched by the charity after learning that school children were contracting malaria due to lack of protection. Priority is usually given to pregnant women and children under the age of five.
To date the charity has donated mosquito nets to 13 schools in the Kazungula District. In 2015, The Butterfly Tree initiated a safe innovation to protect people from malaria, which is highly effective in reducing the number of cases. A safe insecticidal coating is painted on the inside of dwellings, when a mosquito lands on a wall, it will pierce the surface, ingest the chemical and will fly off die. In addition, larvicide granules are dispersed in ponds and streams to prevent larva from developing into mosquitos. Both interventions are safe to humans, animals and fish. This has proved to be highly effective in reducing cases of malaria in areas of distribution in Mukuni, Nyawa and Moomba Chiefdoms.
A mosquito costs just £6 or $9. 100% of your donation will go directly to the cause.
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12 STORIES OF HOPE – DAY 3

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ORPHAN SPONSORSHIP
Zambia has 1.2 million orphans. Since 2006 The Butterfly Tree has sponsored the education of hundreds of individual orphans and vulnerable children at #Mukuni, N’gandu, Kamwi, Ndele and River View Schools from pre-school to completion of high school. The area has a high prevalence of HIV and many of the children have lost one or both parents, living with elderly grandparents or guardians in extreme poverty. Our aim is to keep the children within their village community rather than go into an orphanage in town. Two young boys from Kamwi Village have been on our sponsorship programme since 2011, when sadly their mother and baby sister died during childbirth. Elvis and Vincent weighed just 1.3kg and were not expected to live. Thanks to their wonderful grandmother and the support from The Butterfly Tree the boys are now nine years of age.
Over forty college and university students have achieved degrees and diplomas in teaching, journalism, bio-medicine, hotel management and catering, agriculture and information technology. The charity has trained former sponsored orphans to become peer educators, teaching pupils about the dangers of HIV, early pregnancies and alcohol and drug abuse. Two of them are now main members of The Butterfly Tree team.
Help us to provide maize and mosquito nets for orphans this holiday season! 100% will go to the cause.
Please use either of these links if you would like to make a donation:
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12 STORIES OF HOPE – CHRISTMAS 2020

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With all the sadness and distress caused as a result of COVID-19, I would like to bring you some positive news. Despite everything that 2020 has thrown at us, The Butterfly Tree continues to serve those most in need in Zambia and has been able to implement new projects, deliver vital services, and distribute food to orphans and vulnerable people suffering from food shortages.

CHILDREN FROM MUSOKOTWANE VILLAGE

The combination of the tremendous support we have received from existing and new donors, and the dedication and commitment of our wonderful team of local volunteers has produced an entire new health post and staff house at Bunsanga, extensive expansion at River View and Musotowane Schools. In addition, we have installed boreholes for 7 schools and communities, and six solar-powered water reticulation systems for school production units, and two community projects for 400 women.

Malimba, Chilaba, Moomba, Siamasimbi, Ndele and Chuunga. Moomba Chiefdom has also been supplied with insecticidal coating and larvicide. Orphans, widows, and the elderly have received new homes and hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children have been sponsored at schools, colleges, and universities.

This holiday season we’re excited to kick off “12 Stories of Hope” – 12 days of fundraising to provide rural communities in Zambia with much-needed resources of ground maize and mosquito nets. We aim to address food security needs of families and help to save children’s lives from malaria. Each day we will share an impactful story from a local community in Zambia along with ways you can give back during this season of gratitude. 100% of all donations will go directly to the cause.

DAY 1 

Welcome to the River View School! Prior to expansion, the school had limited facilities and classroom space for 700 pupils from early learning to grade 9. Conditions made it difficult to teach students and limited the student enrollment size. Starting work in 2015, we were able to add 1×4 and 1×2 classroom blocks, a science lab, two boarding houses and a special education unit. Additionally, we created a borehole to gain access to safe water to build toilets, a water reticulation system and a school kitchen. We continue to support this amazing community and have added a satellite school with a 1×3 classroom block just this year. With these improvements, the student population has more than doubled in size to 1,500 pupils.

RIVER VIEW SCHOOL HAS AN ENROLMENT OF 1,500 PUPILS

Head Teacher, Rev. Presley Mulenga shares “Many children now have access to secondary education, the literacy levels have increased, pass rate is high and orphans and vulnerable children are being sponsored.”
Click the link to donate to 12 Stories of Hope to help communities like the River View School: https://www.paypal.com/gb/fundraiser/charity/20638 or https://donate.kindlink.com/the-butterfly-tree/1598.
  • A donation of $25 / £19 covers the cost of 4 bags of maize or 3 mosquito nets. 
  • A donation of $50 / £38 covers the cost of 8 bags of maize or 6 mosquito nets.
  • A donation of $100 / £75 covers the cost of 16 bags of maize or 12 mosquito nets. 

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FUNDRAISING FOR FOOD AND MALARIA PREVENTION THIS CHRISTMAS

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This Christmas is going to be vastly different for everyone due to the global coronavirus pandemic that is affecting each and every one of us. Above all it has made us realise how important our family and friends are, and the necessity to help those less fortunate.

The need in our own countries has vastly increased due to lockdowns, the furlough scheme and cutbacks, resulting in lower income and child food poverty. It is only right that we support those who are suffering close to home, but we must not forget the impact that COVID-19 is having on developing countries like Zambia.

Less than twelve months ago Southern, Western and parts of Eastern Provinces of Zambia were suffering from the worst drought in over 30 years. Shortly after the rains came, COVID-19 arrived, increasing the poverty levels and food shortages.

POVERTY IN RURAL VILLAGES IS EXTREME

Zambia depends heavily on the tourism industry as one of its main sources of income. The Butterfly Tree is based close to the mighty Victoria Falls, Mosi oa Tunya National Park and Livingstone. Many of the rural communities in this area work in the industry or rely on tourists visiting their villages. Mukuni and Simonga Villages are the main examples. Since March they have received no tourists nor any support to compensate for the loss of income.

VICTORIA FALLS – A UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

If you are struggling to shop this year due to lockdown and the tier system perhaps you would consider supporting The Butterfly Tree. Making a donation to one of our vital projects can be done via our donation page or as a Christmas gift.

  • Donate a bag of maize for a family at Christmas – cost £5

  • Donate a mosquito net, which could save a child’s life – cost £6

  • Consider sending e.cards this Christmas – the costs of the cards and stamps saved could be donated to The Butterfly Tree: You can add your own designs or use any of the five, which I have added: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/JaneKayeBailey

  • Gift Cards – GlobalGiving, one of our online platforms is offering a Christmas Gift Cards:  https://www.globalgiving.org/gifts/

ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN ARE OUR PRIORITY

Another worrying factor for Zambia is that due to the pandemic experts predict malaria cases could double this year. The distribution of interventions are being delayed because of COVID-19. The Butterfly Tree’s team is doing everything they can to continuing implementing our malaria prevention programme.

PROTECTION AGAINST MALARIA FOR YOUNG CHILDREN IS VITAL

Therefore, this Christmas our priority is to provide bags of maize for people suffering from hunger, and to distribute mosquito nets to school children to expand our ‘mosquito nets for schools‘ project. After learning that school children are contracting malaria because the Ministry of Health’s priority is to protect pregnant women and children under five, we initiated the programme in 2017 and have since donated nets to 8 schools. This is proving to be highly effective in reducing malaria cases.

PROVIDING MOSQUITO NETS FOR SCHOOLS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCES MALARIA CASES

My sincere thanks to everyone who has continued supporting The Butterfly Tree during these difficult and distressing times. If you would like to make a donation for bags of maize, mosquito nets, or any of our other projects please use on one the platforms on our donation pages. Alternatively, if you prefer to do a bank transfer please email jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk for the charity’s bank details.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

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The Butterfly Tree Annual Report and Accounts 2019-2020

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I am pleased to present to you our Annual Report and Accounts, covering the period from the 1st April 2019 to the 31st March 2020. The full report with pictures of our many benefiaries, and accounts can be viewed by clicking on this link.

Throughout the year only 2.64% of total expenditure was spent on expenses, therefore 97.36% went to charitable causes.

Chairman’s Report 

In our 2018-19 Annual Report I stated that the year was one of the best we have ever had. Little did I know that 2019-20, though the most challenging of all years, surpassed anything we have ever done before. The funding we received doubled any previous year thanks to increased donations from both existing and new supporters, and a substantial grant award. More new schools and clinics have been developed, additional boreholes in remote areas have been installed, many more orphans have been supported both at school and college, and for the first time the charity responded to a widespread food crisis to alleviate severe hunger.

JANE WITH VOLUNTEERS EDWIN, PETER, NATASHA, DENNIS AND JAFTER

The worse drought in Zambia for thirty years resulted in dry rivers and streams, and withered crops, leading to famine in some areas. For many years I have worked with communities effected by malaria, HIV and AIDS, but meeting distraught parents who were unable to feed their children was absolutely heart breaking. Thanks to the tremendous response from our donors, grant aid, and fundraising efforts, we supplied ground maize, the staple diet of Zambians, to people in Nyawa, Mukuni, Musokowane and Sekute Chiefdoms. Over 10,000 households were helped and the supply chain continued for an entire year. I am told by our team in Zambia that we saved many lives.

EMERGENCY FOOD RELIEF OCTOBER 2019 – MAMBOVA VILLAGE

I have been totally overwhelmed by the tremendous support we received and the efforts made by fundraisers. These include a Great South Run participant who raised money for a borehole, a mother who donated a borehole for her daughter’s first birthday, Inner Wheel and Rotary Clubs raising money for malaria prevention, and a young man who while walking from Porto in Portugal to Santiago in Spain raised funds and awareness of malaria. Churches and schools held fundraisers for education projects, and for bags of maize for the food crisis.

MARTIN WHILE WALKING FROM SPAIN TO PORTUGAL RAISED FUNDS FOR MALARIA PREVENTION

The picture of the young lady on the front cover of the Annual Report is one of the three girls who inspired the founding of The Butterfly Tree. I met Esnart in 2006 when I first visited Mukuni Village. She and her two friends showed me inside their home and it was evident that they lived in extreme poverty. Having sponsored Esnart for the past fourteen years, she completed Mukuni High School, where she was head girl, in December 2019. She gained good results and now aims to train with the Zambian police force.

ANGELA, ESNART AND CYNTHIA WHO INSPIRED THE FOUNDING OF THE CHARITY – MARCH 2006

Education is the key in helping orphans and vulnerable children to overcome poverty in rural areas, where children, especially girls, need to be empowered. This helps them to avoid early marriages and pregnancies. We received a substantial amount of support to enable us to develop and expand schools for children who would not have been able to access education due to distance. River View Secondary School is now our flagship school, after constructing a 1×4 classroom block, science lab, and, most recently, a 1×2 classroom block and two boarding shelters. Due to the location of the school, near to the town of Kazungula, places are in high demand and by the end of 2019 it had an intake of almost 1,600 pupils. A new satellite school has been built to take pupils who were unable to attend and to reduce the class numbers at River View. Kawewa Junior School, also in Sekute Chiefdom, received a 1 x 2 classroom block, desks and toilets.

OUR FLAGSHIP SCHOOL – RIVER VIEW SECONDARY

We continue to sponsor as many orphans as funds permit, in five schools. In addition, seven students are currently attending universities and colleges. Topics include bio-medicine, teaching, journalism and information technology. One student graduated as a teacher this year. Two of our former sponsored orphans are now on The Butterfly Tree team and five others are earning an income building our schools, clinics and houses.

MAFIAN WAS SPONSORED AT SCHOOL AND COLLEGE EARNS AN INCOME BUILDING HOUSES

As always we endeavour to drill boreholes for schools and communities, though water projects almost always come with challenges. Unfortunately, most of the drilling companies will not attempt to go to remote areas where the tracks are uneven and sandy. There is also the risk of hitting dry boreholes. Sadly, after three attempts, no water could be found in Dundumwezi area. However, five were drilled successfully before the rains came with eight more to follow after the rainy season.

BOREHOLE AND HANDPUMP – SENKOBO VILLAGE 2019

Boreholes are not only vital for safe drinking, but in times of drought they are life-saving. During the 2019 drought where streams and, in some areas, rivers, were completely dry, people were travelling up to twenty six kilometres to fetch water. The substantial grant award we received will provide five boreholes for schools, one for a community, and five water systems for school food production units. The new government directive is that all schools must now provide sustainable school gardens to support feeding programmes.

FOOD PRODUCTION UNITS – 10 SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE BOREHOLES AND WATER SYSTEMS

When I visit Zambia it is always so rewarding to see the developments taking shape. A new maternity ward and women’s shelter was added to Simonga Rural Health Centre and I had the pleasure of taking 150 delegates from Blooms the Chemist, Australia, to visit the new buildings which they had funded. It always has more impact when donors can actually see what they have funded, as was the case with the three Belgian lawyers who spent several days with us after raising money for boreholes and food security.

NEW MATERNITY WARD AND WOMEN’S SHELTER – SIMONGA RURAL HEALTH POST

Malaria is still one of the biggest challenges but our mosquito nets for schools is proving to substantially reduce the number of new cases of malaria. Children over the age of five often get left out as priority is given to under-fives. Working with the Ministry of Health helps us to locate areas of high malaria prevalence. We also applied insecticide coating and larvicide in Moomba, Nyawa and Mukuni Chiefdom.

DISTRIBUTION OF MOSQUITO NETS – KAMWI JUNIOR SCHOOL

As always we continue to source new areas of need, taking an holistic approach and assessing the most essential basic needs – WATER, FOOD, HEALTH AND EDUCATION. Though education is the way forward and can change a person’s life, when people, through no fault of their own, are suffering from severe water and food shortages, it is not a priority. Fundamental needs for survival are paramount.

BOREHOLE AT SIAZIBOLA VILLAGE PROVIDES SAFE CLEAN WATER

I cannot praise enough our incredible team of Trustees and volunteers both in the UK and Zambia. In the UK, Ann Sutton (Treasurer), Miranda de Freston and Jackie Brown have been instrumental in supporting me, and offering their expertise to the Board. David, Carolyn, Valerie and Leah
are our main volunteers who freely give up their time to help with administration, fundraising and safeguarding. All are invaluable. Our oversees volunteers must not be forgotten – Frank Maiolo (US), Marilee Gibson and Katie Kung (Canada).

THE BUTTERFLY TREE NGO TRUSTEES – PRESLEY, MARTIN AND MUPOTOLA IMPLEMENT AND MANAGE OUR PROJECTS

As for our Zambian team, the four Trustees have been with us since 2006 – Mupotola Siloka (Secretary), Presley Mulenga (education), Martin Mushabati (ground operations), Stain Musungaila (malaria and community projects). Volunteers – Sibeso Maseka (Environmental Technician), Natasha Mufuya and Mafian Sitali (orphan sponsorship and community housing), Lloyd Kasela (community projects). I am humbled by the work they have done to implement, monitor and manage the projects on the ground. This past year they were given what seemed to be an impossible task, but they went beyond the call of duty to dleiver emergency food relief, covering a vast area, to prevent a famine.

ZAMBIAN TRUSTEE STAIN MUSUNGAILA – MALARIA PREVENTION AND COMMUNITY PROJECTS

A special thank you to each and every donor that has supported us during this past year. We are especially grateful for the continued support of so many loyal contributors and delighted to welcome new ones who have funded a variety of projects, as well as sponsoring orphans. It is impossible to name everyone, but every donation is equally important to us. Fundraising enables us to sustain the ongoing projects in Zambia, and to initiate new ones with the aim of improvingthe lives of some of the most vulnerable children on the planet.

Once again we are extremely grateful to Grenfell James, Stratford-upon-Avon for freely verifying the charity accounts, which can be viewed on the full Annual Report and Accounts.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Founder

If you wish for further details about The Butterfly Tree or would like to sign up for our secure newsletter please contact me via email: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

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CLEAN WATER AND SCHOOL FOOD PRODUCTION

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Despite the turmoil surrounding us all, The Butterfly Tree continues to initiate and implement new projects in Zambia. I cannot thank enough all the donors that are supporting us through COVID-19, and the trustees and volunteers working tirelessly to help those who are less fortunate than we are.

CHISE WOMEN TAKING VEGETABLES TO SELL AT A MARKET

Last month we successfully drilled four boreholes for remote schools and communities in Nyawa Chiefdom, with seven more scheduled in the next two weeks. The grant award, received earlier this year from Corteva Agriscience, for our Seeds for Life project listed on GlobalGiving, has given a tremendous boost to our food and water projects. The boreholes will be invaluable for school food production and during periods of drought.

BOREHOLE DRILLING FOR CHILEBE SCHOOL & COMMUNITY

The grant is being used to fund a community borehole for a new rural settlement and five for remote schools, which will enable them to advance their vegetable gardens. In the past the World Food Programme has provided daily meals for Zambian schools. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, and now schools must provide their own sustainable feeding programmes, which is difficult as many pupils are unable to pay school fees due to the high poverty levels.

NGANDU SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME

Five secondary schools, that already have boreholes, are to be given submersible water pump systems from the grant award funds. The schools can then water their gardens during the dry season, which lasts from April until November. The aim is to provide sufficient food for the pupils with any surplus vegetables being sold to the community. This will generate an income to support orphans and purchase school supplies. The same grant will also pay for seeds and fertiliser for 30 rural schools, creating further sustainability. A submersible pump and water tank for Bunsanga Health Post are also included in the grant funding.

BUNSANGA HEALTH POST BUILD IN 2020

Development is well underway at Musokotwane Secondary School. A substantial donation for the Hilary and Neil Murphy Charitable Foundation includes the construction of a 1×3 classroom block, a science laboratory, two boarding shelters and toilets, as well as a water system for their school garden. Once complete this school will accommodate over 1,000 pupils.

MUSOKOTWANE SECONDARY SCHOOL EXPANSION WILL PROVIDE IMPROVED FACILITIES

A new directive, which puts a further burden on schools, is that they must provide their own text books. With classes ranging from 50 to 110 pupils I frequently see entire groups sharing as few as two textbooks. Thanks to recent donations five schools are to receive textbooks this month.

NGANDU SCHOOL HAS A SHORTAGE OF TEXT BOOKS

We will shortly be distributing mosquito nets in three schools, where there is a high prelavence of malaria, thanks to a generous donation from Nick Bousliman. According to a study ‘Imperial College London’s Covid-19 Response Team estimates that malaria deaths could more than double in 2020 compared with 2019 if the distribution of 228 million mosquito nets, for sub-Sahara Africa, is disrupted.’ Again we will target Moomba Chiefdom, where we aim to provide a universal coverage, funded by the Association of Inner Wheel Clubs. In addition to mosquito nets insecticidal coating will be applied to each dwelling, and larvicide granules will be placed in ponds and streams to prevent the larvae developing into mosquitos.

PUPILS AT KAMWI JUNIOR SCHOOL RECEIVE MOSQUITO NETS

Food shortages continue to effect communities, such as Mukuni Village, that are dependent on the tourism industry. A successful fundraiser, held by the Choirs of Pembroke College, Cambridge, has provided 1,000 bags of maize. A further 300 bags have been given to the orphans and vulnerable children that are being sponsored by The Butterfly Tree.

1,000 BAGS OF MAIZE FOR VULNERABLE PEOPLE – MUKUNI VILLAGE

As always we are mindful of the coronavirus pandemic and will ensure that our volunteers and beneficiaries are being protected and not taking any unnecessary risks. Some of the above photographs were taken prior to COVID-19.

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THE BUTTERFLY TREE CHARITY

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The Butterfly Tree is a non-political, non-government organisation registered in the UK and Zambia. We promote equality. We do not discriminate against people on grounds of sex, race, disability or religion.

FOUNDER JANE KAYE-BAILEY WITH MEMBERS OF THE ZAMBIAN NGO

All the projects we raise money for are to help vulnerable children and rural communities in Zambia. We support children and adults with intellectual impairment, disabilities, those living with HIV, those from different tribal and religious backgrounds.

MUKUNI SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM FUNDED BY THE CHARITY

Our first involvement in 2006 was with Mukuni Village, where the Toka Leya people have lived, close to the mighty Victoria Falls, for several hundred years. We have since expanded our work throughout the Southern Province, mainly in the Kazumgula District, where you find the Toka leya, Lozi, and Tonga tribes living in harmony.

THE TOKA LEYA PEOPLE – MUKUNI CHIEFDOM

Due to falling copper prices, a recent drought and tourism at a standstill due to COVID-19, the Zambian economy is weak. Sadly many people rely on international aid. Thanks to the significant support we have received more children have access to safe clean water, feeding programmes, better healthcare and advanced education. The Butterfly Tree is the biggest contributor to education in the Kazungula District.

Last week schools in Zambia reopened for grades 7, 9 and 12. Pupils will sit their all-important examinations later in the year. We have provided protection for 21 schools in the District. The newly build satallite school, funded by the Hilary and Neil Murphy Charitable Trust, has helped to provide extra space for 408 pupils at River View School to follow social distancing. In recent years River View has been transformed from a community school to a secondary schools with 1,600 pupils.

RIVER VIEW CLASSROOM DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This month we aim to install at least ten boreholes for remote schools and communities that do not have access to safe clean drinking water. It is now the dry season and no rain is expected until November. Besides providing drinking water the boreholes enable schools and rural people to grow vegetables for home consumption and to sell in markets.

ZALU BOREHOLE USED BY THE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY

In addition, we will be adding six water reticulation systems for the bigger schools to have income-generating enterprises as well as providing feeding programmes. The grant award, which we received from Corteva Agriscience earlier this year, has greatly boosted our food and water projects.

WATER SYSTEM AND FEEDING PROGRAMME – NGANDU SCHOOL

With COVID-19 attributing to the increase in poverty, most especially for those communities close to Livingstone and the Victoria Falls, we are working with tourism consultants to find solutions to improve the tourism experiences in the area. Our aim is to create community lead initiatives for youths who have completed school. A grant received from TheirWorld has offered an opportunity for five young women to be trained in hotel management, catering and tourism.

Our malaria prevention programme has received substantial support from numerous Inner Wheel Clubs of Great Britain and Ireland thanks to the Chairman of their International Service Committee selecting The Butterfly Tree and Medical Film Aids as her charities of the year. We are absolutley delighted that this will continue for a second year.

We are very grateful to everyone for the tremendous support during this very difficult time. The global demand is greater than ever – we will endeavour to reach out to those most in need with the funds we receive.

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