Ten Year Anniversary

Posted on March 3, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

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

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

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

February 2007 – Mukuni Village Ceremony

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

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

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

2008 – First bore hole installed at Chise Village

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

2009 – Mukun Secondary School 3 classroom block

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

Some of the first orphans to be sponsored by the charity

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

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

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

The home of these children has been coated to prevent malaria

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

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

With much appreciation,

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Water Crisis

Posted on February 22, 2016 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

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

Dry River – Southern Province

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

Dry Stream – Mukuni Chiefdom

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

Failed Maize Crop

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

Shallow Wells used in Schools

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

Safe Drinking Water for Sinsimuku Pupils

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

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

Development in Schools

Posted on August 27, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

This past few months has seen further development in a number of schools in the Mukuni, Nyawa and Sekute Chiefdoms. New classrooms, teacher’s houses, latrines, a bore hole and school shop have all been constructed thanks to generous funding from a variety of donors.

NEW CLASSROOM S FOR N’DELE PRIMARY SCHOOL

N’dele Primary School has a new 1×2 classroom block and latrines thanks to generous grant aid from the British and Foreign School Society. World Challenge volunteers from Tring School recently camped at Kamwi School where they helped to construct a school shop, painted classrooms and gave further donations to restore a teacher’s house and build a feeding programme shelter.

JOAC COMMUNITY WORKS PROJECT VOLUNTEERS – N’GANDU SCHOOL

Group of volunteers from JOAC Community Works Project are currently working at N’gandu School where a 1×3 classroom block, two teacher’s houses and latrines are being built. Their substantial grant has brought much needed development to N’gandu School, which was built in 1947. N’dele, Kamwi and N’gandu Schools are all in the Mukuni Chiefdom.

WORLD CHALLENGE VOLUNTEERS FROM TRING SCHOOL – KAMWI VILLAG

Further funding from ATD has paid for the construction of a 1×2 classroom block and latrines at Singwamba, their donation also includes latrines for Kauwe School. These schools are both in the Nyawa Chiefdom where we have also advanced Muchambile and Nampuyani Schools. A bore hole donated by Cayman Island’s Sunrise Rotary Club, Churches of Abbots Leigh and Abbots Wood, Nick Bousliman and other donors has given Bunsunga school children a chance to taste fresh water for the first time.

BORE HOLE FOR BUNSUNGA PRIMARY SCHOOL

River View School, in the Sekute Chiefdom, has received support to complete their pre-school. With over 1,000 pupils, the school is continues to enrol more children due to the recently developed town of Kazungula. Donations from St.Paul’s School, Wigan and individuals have been used to buy the new syllabus text books for this school as well as Muchambile and Kamwi. Inner Wheel Club District 6 knitted beautiful blankets, jumpers and hats for the pupils.

NEW JUMPERS AND HATS FOR RIVER VIEW ORPHANS

Zambia has some of the highest poverty levels in the world. It is essential for these orphaned and vulnerable children to receive a sound education.

Charity Annual Report 2014-15

Posted on July 19, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Chair’s Report…

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

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

JANE WITH MICHAEL DAVID – NAMED AFTER HER TWO SONS

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

KAMWI TWINS, VINCENT & ELVIS NEED PROTECTION FROM MALARIA

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

NAMPUYANI SCHOOL EXPANSION

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

Education and Health Advancements

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

With continual news on the launch of The Butterfly Tree’s malaria prevention project in Zambia I would like to reassure our donors and supporters that we have not neglected our grass root projects. These are so vital to the development of any community whether it be for health or education.

THOUSANDS OF RURAL CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING A BASIC EDUCATION

The most essential of all our projects is to provide safe clean water. This year the Southern areas of Zambia have experienced a poor rainy season. Reports are coming in of streams and rivers that would normally be full having very little water, and maize crops have perished. Adding a bore hole to a school or community helps to reduce diarrhoeal diseases and provides water to irrigate vegetables – one is shortly to be installed at Bunsanga, thanks to joint funding from the Cayman Islands Rotary Club, the Parishes of Abbots Wood and Leigh Woods and Nick Bousliman.

LOW RAINFALL IN SOUTHERN ZAMBIA

Several educational advancements are being made – a 1×2 classroom block and latrines is almost complete at N’dele Primary School using further grant aid from the British and Foreign School Society. N’gandu School is undergoing extensive expansion through JOAC’s Community Works Projects. Muchambile is to receive a boost from private donors who have ‘adopted’ the school and village, adding a much needed clinic. Kasiya Community School has new latrines thanks to Robert & Cindy Orr.

NEW CLASSROOM BLOCK FOR N’DELE PRIMARY SCHOOL

On health matters funding is now in place to build a women’s shelter for the Singwamba community. Currently women are sleeping in the open when they come to the clinic prior to delivery. The Besom has once again supported our work, along with Hannah Leon who took part in the Tough Mudder competition, and Ursula Reinheimer who raised money making cards and jewellery.

SINGWAMBA WOMEN’S SHELTER TO BE REPLACED BY A PERMANENT STRUCTURE

Both our malaria prevention project and HIV prevention through peer education are advancing, invaluable for future development of these rural communities who desperately need your support.

Water and Food

Posted on March 24, 2015 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

March sees the start of The Butterfly Tree’s tenth year working to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. We have made significant strides in education and healthcare in the Kazungula and Livingstone Districts adding new schools and clinics in remote communities. Thousands of children are receiving a sound education and healthcare facilities have improved considerably.

Restored classroom blocks – Nampuyani Primary School

Our aim is to continue this vital work, but first we have to address two fundamental projects, Water and Food, to avoid a major crisis currently threatening the lives and livelihoods of numerous people living in these districts.

Water – the essence of life

The rainy season in Zambia starts in November and ends in April. Some parts of Zambia have recorded good rains, sadly this is not the case in the Southern Province, where very little rain has fallen. Now the peak growing season is coming to an end and for many villages and schools there is no maize. Crops have failed to grow, resulting in a shortage of food, hunger is already apparent which will get worse over the coming months.

Maize crops destroyed due to lack of rain

Water, so essential for all forms of life, is in short supply. Rivers and streams, normally flowing at this time of year, are dry. Many remote communities still have no access to safe water and have to rely on streams. We need to identify these areas and raise funds to provide additional bore holes. Fortunately all the schools we work in now have bore holes to provide safe drinking water.

Dry stream – Nyawe Chiefdom

If the crisis continues it is hoped that the Zambian government will send maize from the north of Zambia to the affected southern region. In the meantime The Butterfly Tree will provide further seeds and fertilizer for school feeding programmes, to enable them to grow beans, rape and cabbages using bore whole water for irrigation.

Ground nuts provide a source of protein

Our educational development projects with continue as normal. A 1×2 classroom block and latrines will shortly be completed at N’dele Primary School, thanks to a generous grant from the British and Foreign School Society. This month work will commence on a 1×3 classroom block, two teachers’ houses and latrines at N’gandu School, using a substantial grant from the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission as a Community Works Project.

N’dele pupils assist with classroom construction

All of our work has had a big impact in these rural villages, but none more so than water projects. We need to provide more bore holes to improve health issues, reduce the number of diarrhoeal cases and to deliver a supply of water to irrigate for school gardens.