We are excited to announce that The Butterfly Tree website has been shortlisted in the UK TravelMole Web Awards of 2012. This is the ninth year of the UK TravelMole Web Awards and our site was selected from a record-setting number of entries.

TravelMole.com and TravelMole.TV publishes 15 eNewsletters and broadcasts hundreds of videos to over 450,000 travel & tourism industry professional registered members and subscribers, as well as 30 million consumers in 132 countries. This includes the highly acclaimed VISION on Sustainable Tourism publication.

The awards presentation to the winning websites will be held on September 26th at the Doubletree by Hilton London.

Best Responsible Tourism Site

This was our application:

The volunteer opportunities described on the website have attracted people from all walks of life coming from North America, Asia, Australia and Europe. Every month doctors, nurses, teachers and students provide additional ‘hands on’ assistance at the schools and clinics supported by The Butterfly Tree.

The entire website has been designed, developed and donated by Miranda de Freston of Morphity Ltd, who is a trustee of the charity. Alongside Miranda, Jane Kaye-Bailey, the founder, manages the ongoing content for the website to ensure regular updates for readers and subscribers on the extensive charity’s activities.

The website highlights the extensive work that has been done in the local communities we work in, promotes philanthropic travel, volunteering and fundraising opportunities.

Through our website we actively promote philanthropic travel and offer volunteering opportunities on a range of projects. This promotion and extensive optimisation of the website has attracted hundreds of groups, corporate and individuals from around the world.

The website has been instrumental in drawing worldwide donors, generally exposing The Butterfly Tree charity and is one of the main reasons people initially become inspired to get involved.

‘Once again I am delighted to say that we have had another incredible year. Our work has expanded into a third Chiefdom and more orphans are being assisted. Despite the current climate we have once again raised a quarter of a million pounds – a huge amount for a small charity, which is even more significant when you consider that virtually 100% of this goes directly into grassroots projects’.

New school Matengu Village, Musokotwane Chiefdom

Follow link to view the full report and accounts: The Butterfly Tree Annual Report 2011-2012.

One of the highlights of the year was being selected, out of hundreds of charities working in Africa, as the charity having the best proven record of transparency. It was a privilege to be invited to Zurich to receive a cheque for US$27,000 from ENRC Marketing. In January three new schools were opened, for some children this was their first experience to attend school, as previously the distance had been too far for them to walk. Further funding has given us the opportunity to build more teacher’s houses and classrooms and to install bore holes for communities who previously depended on bacteria-infested streams for drinking water. Hundreds more mosquito nets have been distributed for malaria prevention and many more orphans are being sponsored. With over 700,000 orphans nationwide it is imperative to educate and improve the health facilities for these vulnerable children.

Kamwi Twins – Vincent and Elvis at 18 months

The high point for me has been following the progress of the twin boys whose mother tragically died in childbirth along with her baby daughter. The boys are now eighteen months old, happy, healthy and running around Kamwi Village, being cared for by their grandmother. Sadly there are still far too many Zambian children who are suffering, there has been an increase in new cases of malaria and the HIV and AIDS pandemic ravages the community, affecting or infecting every family. Our new peer education program for HIV and AIDS prevention, targeting school children, is under way and this is where we hope the change can be made. We have expanded our malaria prevention program; malaria remains the biggest killer of man. We target children under five, pregnant women and those most at risk.

For the first time we have been able to send twenty school leavers for vocational courses, ranging from teaching, computing and hotel management. The special education class has received recognition from the Provincial Department of Education and is being used as a model for other areas. Very few disabled children in Zambia have access to education. This is the only rural special education unit in the entire nation. The orphan sponsorship program has increased, boosted by the Mukuni Village Fund in Australia, a group of people who sponsor fifty orphans.

The Butterfly Tree Orphan Sponsorship recipients – Mukuni Village

In March we were honored to receive a visit from the newly appointed British High Commissioner to Zambia; who wanted to see The Butterfly Tree in operation. We have had an increasing number of visitors to see our projects in Mukuni from individuals, groups and corporate. These visits have generated a substantial amount of income through travel philanthropy and for many it has been the highlight of their entire holiday. Once again a number of volunteers from the UK, Europe, US, Canada and Australia worked at the school, within the community and at the Mukuni Health Centre. Their input has been invaluable. We have global fundraisers, who have raised a considerable amount of money for the charity through various initiatives and sporting activities. One of the main events this year was participating in Cyclothon UK, where our team the ‘Flying Butts’ did a twelve hour cycle challenge around Brands Hatch.

‘The Flying Butts’ – The Butterfly Tree team after competing in CyclothonUK 2011

With so much bad publicity in the charity sector, concerning the amount of money that is deducted for administration and personal fees, we continue to work as volunteers both in the UK and Zambia, enabling all funds raised to go directly into grassroots projects. As always I am grateful to my fellow trustees, David Kaye and Miranda de Freston. Miranda’s excellent optimization skills have generated a great deal of support through our website. Also to Ann, who has taken over the role of Treasurer and Mary in administration, Frank Maiolo (our US representative), our volunteers and the many fundraisers who have generously given their time to help and support The Butterfly Tree. This new year we have taken on additions to our team are – Mutsa Marau, as HIV and AIDS Prevention Coordinator, Oscar Miyanda in public relations and Wendy Callaway to assist with the orphan sponsorship program. In Canada we are joined by Grant and Marilee Gibson who will be fundraising and promoting our work.

None of our success could have been achieved without our amazing team in Zambia – Mupotola Siloka, Presley Mulenga, Martin Mushabati, Rosemary Siloka, Sweso Museke and Stain Musengaila, the ten female representatives who oversee the orphan sponsorship program and all the teachers who run the sustainable projects for the schools. They are dedicated, hard-working and professional people who are committed to making the change. Special thanks to Chief Mukuni and several local hotels and lodges, namely Sun International and Stanley Safari Lodge and tour operators who support our work.

Jane Kaye-Bailey with the girls who inspired the founding of the charity

Each of our donors around the world deserves enormous thanks; unfortunately it is not possible to name every one of them individually. However I must express gratitude to our major sponsor, the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission, who has given us the opportunity to build schools and clinics in very remote areas. Other major generous sponsors include Saga Charitable Trust, Just a Drop, the British and Foreign School Society and The Besom. Through grant aid their support has funded bore holes, malaria prevention, vocational courses and health facilities. Corporate sponsors Cunninghams, Gardiff, Brady Italia, ENRC Marketing and Canon Australia have given tremendous backing and a special thanks to the BigGive, who doubled our donations through their Christmas Challenge. There are numerous schools, clubs, churches and individuals kindly donating ongoing funds to assist the thousands of orphaned children in Zambia. This coming year with your continued support we aim to reach out to children in the Sikute and Nyawa Chiefdoms.

Jane Kaye-Bailey

Chairman

Follow link to view the full Annual Report and Accounts: The Butterfly Tree Annual Report 2011-2012.

Despite having a relatively small population of just over 12 million people, there are 710,000 orphans in Zambia, primarily as a result of the HIV and AIDS pandemic. One in six adults living with HIV and longevity is barely 38. Sadly the Livingstone area, which is close to Mukuni Village, has one of the highest problems in the nation. This is due to the exposure of being both a border town and the capital of tourism. The devastation caused by this pandemic is heartbreaking, everyone in Mukuni and beyond has been infected or affected – the loss is totally overwhelming.

Orphans in Zambia at N’gandu Basic School

Poverty as always is one of the major under-lying causes, but people from every walk of life have been affected – from government to industry, agriculture and tourism, no area has escaped this virus that has caused so much devastation. According to the latest statistics from UNAIDS, at the end of 2010 there were 34 million people living with HIV and this same year 1.8 million people died from AIDS-related illnesses. Although in the past five years, both the number of new cases and deaths have declined globally, Zambia like most Southern African countries, is still suffering. Our aim is to intensify our HIV and AIDS prevention projects and increase the numbers on our orphan sponsorship programmes. To date we have sponsored over 500 individual orphans and improved the conditions for thousands of vulnerable children.

Young orphan in Mukuni Village Zambia

The Butterfly Tree supports a number of HIV and AIDS prevention programmes and this year we will mostly work within the schools, targeting the pupils, as we strongly believe that this is where the change can be made. As always we will continue with our orphan sponsorship programme; only this week two siblings, who had previously lost their father, have now lost their mother. If we can ensure that these vulnerable children remain in school and receive a sound education, they have hope. The alternative means having to rely on their guardians, adding further pressure to the family, which pushes them below the poverty line.

Last year a peer education for HIV and AIDS prevention was initiated thanks to Mutsa Marau, a young volunteer from London and now a member of The Butterfly Tree team. To help reduce the number of orphans in Zambia Mutsa has trained a group of Mukuni school children aged between 14 and 20 to reach out to other schools and their communities educating them about the dangers of HIV and AIDS, how to prevent it, how to live with it and how to remove the stigma that surrounds it. Girls are four times more likely to catch it than boys and will be given extra support on how to avoid getting pregnant as well as learning about the risk of contracting HIV.

Peer educators in HIV and AIDS prevention – Mukuni Village

If you would like to sponsor an orphan please complete the on line form.

One of the most important considerations when giving to charity is to ensure that the maximum amount goes directly to the cause and this is something that we continue to strive for. I repeatedly hear people say that they are through with giving to charities that deduct a sizeable amount of a donation to cover administration fees. Other hidden costs cover salaries, personal expenses and outlay for restructioning. Obviously the larger charities have to generate vast amounts of money and have high overheads but so much money is being misused. Last year it was revealed that one of the better known charities gave their Chief Executive and Deputy Leader over £800,000 in pay-offs.

New school for Silelo pupils

The Butterfly Tree prides itself in being able to capitalise on a donation and use it in the best possible way that will benefit the rural communities we support in Zambia.  For the past six years we have been able to use donor funds to initiate projects such as building classrooms and clinics, bore holes, malaria and HIV and AIDS prevention programs, community housing and orphan sponsorship. No administration costs or personal fees have been deducted. Our loyal and committed teams both in Zambia and the UK work on a volunteer basis, dedicating their time and energy to improving the lives of those less fortunate. Administration fees in the UK are covered by the Chairman and we do not rent office space in either country.

Beneficiaries of Charity Giving – three young boys from Mukuni Village

This month we have changed our donation facility, as the one previously used has now added costs. The new facility is Mydonate, which is administered by British Telecom and provides us with a free, secure service and an easy-to-use method. We hope that this will be a great benefit to both The Butterfly Tree and our donors. For anyone wanting to create their own fundraising page Mydonate can also be used. Sporting challenges, events, school fundraising initiatives can benefit this method.

We are also registered with Just Giving, we pay monthly fee for this facility so anyone creating their own page can link to The Butterfly Tree.  For American Donors who require a 501 (c) 3 facility we are listed on the US GlobalGiving site. There are many other ways to help raise money for our cause, these include Giving Lots – charity auction site, Everyclick – a search engine that donates to charity every time you search on the web and we are also listed on Ebay for Charity. If you would like more information please contact: jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk

To make a donation please use the Mydonate service now listed on our website.