Malaria Prevention Success

Posted on July 25, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

In recent months the media has focused on the outbreak of Zika, which is threatening countries in the Americas, including the USA. Though no local mosquito-borne Zika virus disease cases have been reported in the States, lab tests have confirmed the virus in travellers returning to the United States.

LOCAL TRANSMISSION OF ZIKA HAS BEEN REPORTED IN GRENADA AND OTHER CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES

With both the peak summer travel period and the forthcoming Olympic Games approaching it is important that all travellers as well as visitors to Rio gain knowledge of the Zika virus. This can be obtained from the World Health Organisation or the Centre of Disease Control websites, not only to protect your own health, but to avoid the spread of the virus to other parts of the world. With high poverty levels in African countries such as Zambia it would be catastrophic if there was a new outbreak of the Zika virus.

RIO DE JANEIRO HOST TO THE 2016 OLYMPICS

Whether it is Zika, Dengue Fever or Malaria, prevention methods are crucial. The Butterfly Tree has been supporting malaria prevention in Zambia since 2008. Malaria is the biggest killer of man. This year Zambia had an emergency in many areas, districts with the highest prevalence were Ndola, Kabwe and Kazungula, where most of our work is carried out.

CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION AGAINST MALARIA

Two years ago The Butterfly Tree introduced a safe and effective method of malaria prevention, which is proving to be highly successful according to reports from the Zambian Ministry of Health and the National Malaria Control Centre. In areas where we applied the new products in November 2015, zero or very few cases have since been reported.

OVER 1,000 DWELLINGS WERE PAINTED WITH THE SAFE INSECTICIDAL COATING IN NOVEMBER 2015

This new initiative is attracting a great deal of interest from the Zambian government and private sector. In the UK Saga Charitable Trust, Medisave, Inner Wheel and Rotary Clubs have given donations to buy both these products and mosquito nets. Over the next few months we aim to paint the inside of many more dwellings with the safe insecticidal coating and distribute nets. In addition granules will be placed in ponds and stagnant water to prevent the larva from developing into mosquito.

STAIN MUSUNGAILA APPLYING THE SAFE GRANULES IN PONDS

For people visiting Zambia and countries where malaria and other infectious diseases are found, gain as much knowledge as possible about the symptoms and prevention.

Boost for Water, Health and Education

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

The new financial year has got off to a great start! Since April 1st I am delighted to say that we have received a substantial amount of funding to add more bore holes, to provide extra support for Malaria and HIV prevention, and to construct new educational facilities.

Using donations from a private donor, Cayman Islands Rotary Club and Kampango we are about to install two bore holes at Singwamba Health Centre, which has a catchment of 7,500 and for River View School, attended by 1,100 pupils. At present both areas rely on river water, which is full of bacteria and in the case of River View, teeming with crocodiles.

The 1,100 pupils at River View School are to receive a new bore hole

This year in Zambia there has been a serious outbreak in malaria, which is some areas has turned into an emergency. The environmental officers believe it is due to the unseasonable heavy rain which fell in March, leaving a considerable amount of stagnant water in rural areas. I am pleased to say that the areas in Mukuni, where we applied the new intervention, have not been affected. This is an extract from a letter sent to us from the Ministry of Health:

‘The application of the products in eight communities in the Mukuni Chiefdom has contributed to the reduction of malaria in Mukuni area. This is because the chemicals are very effective in fighting the malaria vector.’

One of the 1,000 plus households to receive protection from malaria

In other areas Singwamba Health Centre recorded 3,245 cases of malaria and the tragic deaths of twelve children aged between one and thirteen years. After putting out an appeal on Facebook, amazingly donors instantly responded and a considerable amount of money was raised. We have since applied the safe granules in mosquito breeding grounds, in the worst affected areas, to prevent the larva from developing into mosquito.

Stagnant water – breeding ground for mosquito

On the education front we received substantial funding from Jersey Overseas Aid Commission to add two 1×3 classroom blocks and a solar system to N’gandu School. This is being done through their Community Works Project and once again we will host volunteers from Jersey to help with the construction. Arnewood School has raised funds for a boarding shelter at Mukuni, a group of their students will shortly travel to Zambia to volunteer.

Further development for N’gandu Junior Secondary School

Sinsimuku Community School is currently being developed with the construction of two classrooms, latrines and a teacher’s house, thanks to a further donation from Attraction Tickets Direct. In addition a recent donation from a US volunteer will enable our young peer educators to carry out more workshops in HIV prevention. More orphans are to be sponsored and our partner, the Mukuni Village Trust in South Australia, has offered to continue supporting forty orphans.

Florence – one of the 40 orphans sponsored by the Australian group

We have a brand ‘new look’ website, kindly donated by Miranda de Freston, one of our trustees and owner of Morphity.

These generous offers of support and funds help to sustain our on going projects as well as allowing us to reach out to more remote communities in in the Southern Province of Zambia.

World Malaria Day 2016

Posted on April 25, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

The Butterfly Tree in partnership with Vectorcide International introduces safe innovative malaria prevention method for World Malaria Day 2016

Malaria is the biggest killer of man – every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria. People all over the globe come together to mark this significant day.

In 2015, there were 214 million cases, and 438 000 deaths from Malaria
3.2 billion (half the world’s population) are at risk
In 2015, 97 countries had on-going malaria transmission
The global malaria mortality rate was reduced by 60% in 2000 – 15, and an estimated 6.2 million lives were saved as a result of a scale-up of malaria interventions

Young children need protection from malaria

We are the first charity is the world to use Vectorcide’s safe insecticidal coating and Larvicide granules to help eradicate malaria in Zambia. Both these products are highly effective, with no new cases of malaria being reported in areas of application. The products are harmless to humans, animals and the environment.

Vectorcide coating is harmless to humans and animals

To mark this day The Butterfly Tree is hosting an event, to showcase our work in malaria prevention, at Kamwi Village in the Mukuni Chiefdom. Members of the Ministry of Health and local communities will be in attendance. Two of our team Mrs Maseka, a government Environmental Officer and Stain Musungaila will be the presenters. Stain has lost five family members to this devastating disease.

Children in Kamwi are at risk of malaria

For the past eight years we have donated a vast number of mosquito nets in the Mukuni, Sekute and Nyawa Chiefdoms adding extra protection. A substantial donation will be offered to mark World Malaria Day.

Donation of mosquito nets – Mukuni Chiefdom

The Butterfly Tree is appealing for donations to distribute more of these life-saving products in Zambia, and other areas where there is a high prevalence of malaria. Thank you to Saga, Medisave, Inner Wheel Clubs District 6, Karmakarma and all the individual donors who have already supported our malaria prevention programme.

Please DONATE Just £5 ($8) will protect a family home or buy a mosquito net.

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

Orphan Sponsorship

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

It is almost ten years since The Butterfly Tree started its orphan sponsorship programme in Zambia, to date around 1,000 individual orphans have received a sound basic education. Many pupils have since completed high school, others are attending college, while a number have sought employment.

Peter Liyungu – first sponsored orphan in final year at teachers training college

In the early days it was fairly simple to get to know each individual orphan and give regular feedback to the sponsors, especially as they were all attending Mukuni Basic School. The programme has grown considerably and we now offer sponsorship to orphans in other schools, including N’gandu, Kamwi, N’dele and Mahalulu.

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.

New Malaria Prevention initiative for Zambia

One of two women’s shelters – Singwamba

Ndele Primary School – 1×2 classroom block

N’gandu Junior School – 3 classrooms, 2 teacher’s houses and latrines

Singwamba School – 2 classrooms and latrines

Muchambile School – further educational development

82 global volunteers – including World Challenge and JOAC

School Bore Holes – Bunsanga, Siachakubi and Simsimuku

School in a Bag Partnership – River View School

Sustainable feeding programmes for 15 schools

Manchester United donate 500 football shirts to N’gandu School

5 Houses for elderly and widows looking after orphans

One of two sponsored students to complete teacher’s training courses

Kamwi Twins reach their 5th birthday

Thank you to everyone who has helped to make these developments possible. Wishing you all a very happy and healthy New Year!

Christmas Newsletter

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Many of you will be enjoying this magical time of the year, in many parts of the world. Christmas is a time for giving and for being with families. Please remember all the children who are not as fortunate as ours, ones who will spend Christmas feeling hungry and no doubt lonely, after losing their parents as a result of disease, such as HIV/AIDS or malaria.

Mukuni Girls

This year we have been able to increase our support to help the fight against these devastating diseases. In November we started distributing the first of the new Vectorcide products in the Mukuni and Sekute Chiefdoms, providing improved protection against malaria. To date over 1,000 households have been coated with Mozzimort, a safe insecticidal paint.

children now have advanced protection from malaria

In addition we are using Larvicide granules, in known breeding areas, to prevent larva developing into mosquito. Our aim is to raise funds and awareness in order to distribute these products throughout Zambia.

Larvicide uses in breeding ground for msquito

Other recent improvements in healthcare include a clinic at Muchambile and two women’s shelters at Kasiya and Singwamba, funded by a private donor and The Besom. Over the Christmas period we have engaged school leavers, who were sponsored by The Butterfly Tree, and having been trained as peer educators, to run HIV prevention workshops.

Women’s Shelter – Singwamba

We are having a very productive year thanks to the support of on our going donors, volunteers and fundraisers. Since 2006 The Butterfly Tree has advanced some 30 schools, installed 16 bore holes and developed 10 rural clinics. Thousands of orphans and vulnerable children, throughout the Kazungula and Livingstone Districts, now have access to improved water supplies, feeding programmes, better education and healthcare.

New bore hole for Simsimuku School

Thank you to everyone for being part of our global following and for helping children in Zambia to have a better future. Wishing you all the very best for Christmas and good health and happiness in the New Year.

Jane Kaye-Bailey and the teams both in Zambia and the UK

Development News from Zambia

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

In January it will be ten years since I first stepped foot on Zambian soil. Little did I know that the country and its people would play such an important role in my life, that I would gain first hand and often heartbreaking insights into how people in remote areas cope with extreme poverty. This has enabled me to convey to you what is really happening on the ground and to continue our vital work to help these vulnerable people.

Two thirds of Zambians live on less than £1 per day

We have made tremendous progress in many areas, most especially by adding bore holes to schools, most recently to Siachabuki and Simuka. With the prolonged drought, which has caused considerable food shortages through the Southern Province, bore holes are essential, not only to provide safe drinking water, but also to enable irrigation for school gardens. This year thanks to a generous donation from Jane Keil and her family in Australia, fourteen schools are to receive seeds and fertilizers to develop sustainable feeding programmes.

New bore hole and hand pump – Siachakubi School

During my visit we hosted a wonderful group of donors from Attraction Tickets Direct. Their substantial donations have provided funds to expand Nampuyani, Singawamba and Kauwe Schools. The group brought with them vast amounts of school supplies and equipment.

Ollie Brendon and Attraction Tickets Direct Group – Singwamba School

One of the highlights of my trip was to distribute almost 500 football shirts, generously donated by Manchester United and organised by one of JOAC’s volunteers. Every pupil at N’gandu School received a shirt along with other items donated by JOAC. The school development at N’gandu is almost complete with the addition of a 1×3 classroom block, two teachers’ houses and latrines. This was funded by a grant from JOAC Community Works Projects.

Manchester United Donation – N’gandu School

Other schools that recently received funding are River View, who were given desks and text books. This school was also chosen as a beneficiary for a new project with our partners ‘School in a Bag’. 100 pupils received school bags containing all their educational needs. Kasiya School has new latrines, a teacher’s house has been restored at Kamwi and a new 1×2 classroom block at N’dele funded by BFSS. We are reaching out to 29 schools in four Chiefdoms.

School in Bag Partnership – River View School

So much development has taken place these past few months that I am going to write a separate post on our health projects. In the meantime to raise further funds for the projects, we are once again selling charity calendars. The cost is £5 per calendar, plus postage. In addition Manchester United has donated David de Gea’s kit from the pre-season tour, which we are currently auctioning. If you would like to place a bid or buy a calendar please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

Malaria Season

Posted on October 21, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Next month is the start of the rainy season in Zambia and with it brings a higher risk of contracting malaria, the biggest killer of man. Though malaria is prevalent all year round, the next few months are the worst. It is essential that children have maximum protection against malaria. Every 60 seconds a child dies from malaria, 75% are under five in sub-Sahara Africa, including Zambia.

Last season the Mukuni Chiefdom alone reported 488 cases of malaria. The Butterfly Tree is currently raising funds to buy Vectorcide’s safe innovative products. Vectorcide caoting is far superior to the current method of indoor residual spraying, which is harmful, less effective and lasts only for six months.

YOUNG CHILDREN NEED PROTECTION FROM MALARIA

Working alongside the Ministry of Health, who fully support this new intervention, we aim to reduce the number of new cases of malaria. This initiative will not replace insecticide treated mosquito nets, instead it will add further protection to those most at risk, especially infants and pregnant women. Our first distribution is currently taking place in Mukuni villages thanks to a generous donation from Saga Charitable Trust.

MUKUNI VILLAGES TO RECEIVE FIRST VECTORCIDE COATING

November is also the time for planting. After several months without a drop of rain, the parched African terrain is desperate for water. Communities are hoping for ‘good rains’ – last year the rains were so poor, resulting in most maize crops in the Southern Province perishing.

‘GOOD RAINS’ ARE ESSENTIAL TO PRODUCE HEALTHY MAIZE

Good nutrition is essential for early development in children, but when your family is poor there is never enough food to go round. For many families surviving on just one meal a day is the norm. Maize is the staple diet of Zambians, especially those living in rural areas, but it is totally rain dependent. Consequently we are looking at crops that need less water.

GOOD NUTRITION IS ESSENTIAL FOR EARLY DEVELOPMENT

To date we have supported some twenty schools to initiate sustainable feeding programmes. Our evaluation has shown that pupils performance and attendance is much improved. When children have to walk several miles to get to school it is comforting to know that food will be available.

FEEDING PROGRAMMES HELP TO ALLEVIATE HUNGER

In the 21st century no child should go hungry, and yet according to the World Food Programme Organisation there are 795 million hungry people, of which 75% are in rural areas of Africa and Asia. Funds for malaria prevention and for feeding programmes are needed for this season. We are very grateful for any support you can offer, please use this link to make a donation.