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Philanthropy in Schools

In a recent program the Big Give set up a scheme in schools to inspire the next generation of philanthropers, using the Dragon School in Oxford as a pilot. After researching 6000 charities on the site three were selectecd as the finalists. This is the email we received from the school ‘We have been engaged in a project to encourage philanthropy in schools via the Big Give, of all the 6000 charities on their site, I choose The Butterfly Tree because I really like the work that you are doing and I believe that you will spend the money in the right way’.

Philanthropy in Schools: Machenje pre-school children

This is just one of the many schools offering support to the charity. I recently spoke to my local village school, Wolverton Primary, for the fourth consecutive year. The interest they have shown in our projects and desire to learn about the orphans effected by HIV and Aids  in Zambia is truly inspiring, the school also sponsor an orphan from Mukuni Village. Other schools to offer support are Fountaindale Special Education School, Farlingaye High School, Arden School, Marston Green Primary School, Monikie Primary School and Cromwell Junior School to name but a few.

Jube Musonda on The Butterfly Tree orphan sponsorship program

Education is not free in Zambia and it is important for children in western countries to realise how fortunate they are. Education is the key to improving the lives of African children without it there is little hope. There are a number of ways for schools to support The Butterfly Tree – by fundraising for a specific project, sponsor an orphan or through social networking such as Facebook. I recently submitted a story to Facebook, after learning that they are creating a new page, to highlight causes that have been enhanced through Social networking: ‘We liked your story so much that we’d like to feature it on a new page on Facebook we’re creating from people like you around the world’.

Join The Butterfly Tree Facebook Group

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Water is Life

June, the start of the British summer. A time when we embrace the warm sunshine, blue skies, light evenings and hope for rain-free days. A time for planting out the garden, barbecues and Pimms. During this period many of us will be pumping thousands of litres of water onto our precious gardens, wash our cars and fill our swimming pools, while children in Zambia will be drinking from crocodile infested rivers.

Zambia has a dry, wet and winter seasons. The rains abate at the end of March and can rarely be seen before the end of October. Six months without rain, when the lush green vegetation turns into a dry parched terrain. Life in villages such as Mukuni is challenging, life in remote villages like Siamasimbi is tough. Water is life, without it nothing can grow. In the west it is taken for granted, for African children it is a precious commodity. The Butterfly Tree’s aim is to provide safe, clean water to all the outreach communities in the areas of our work. To date we have provided seven bore holes in the Mukuni Chiefdom, two of them from private donors and five thanks to our partnership with Just a Drop. We have also added nine new water tanks in Mukuni Village thanks to a generous donation from Saga Charitable Trust.

Water is life: dry stream in Mukuni, a common scene in the month of September

African woman and children can be seen all over the continent walking long distances to obtain water. Streams are shared for bathing, washing clothes, drinking water and with animals, further increasing the risk of pollution. The difference a bore hole can provide is enormous. No longer are the children at risk from being attacked by crocodiles, the risk of infection is considerably reduced. Earlier this year seven babies died in one village due to a water-born bacterial infection.

Besides providing bore holes we set up a water committee to educate the community and to teach the people basic hygiene, maintenance skills and sustainablity. Five of the schools now have their own bore hole with Indian hand pumps and two with Playpumps, a wonderful concept whereby the children can pump their own water while playing on a merry-go-round. The schools are now able to have their own gardens to support the invaluable feeding programs.

Children happily pumping water safe, clean water for Kamwi Basic School

In conjunction with Small Charities Week 14th-18th June we are promoting awareness for the one billion people who do not have access to safe, clean water and raising funds to support our water projects in Zambia.