Orphan Sponsorship in Zambia

Posted on September 4, 2013 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

It is difficult to comprehend the scale of the decimation caused by the HIV and AIDS pandemic in Zambia. With a population of barely more than 14 million the nation has over 700,000 orphans, primarily as a result of HIV and AIDS. Virtually all of the Butterfly Tree’s work revolves around the orphans and we strive to give them hope for a better future. Our aim is to provide a sound, basic education for as many rural children as funds permit. It is not possible for every child to be accepted on our orphan sponsorship program as there are so many, but we can help in other ways by improving the education facilities in these remote schools and helping them to generate sustainability.

Twin brothers Siakuba and Aaron sponsored orphans

Creating global awareness is paramount – the poverty levels are extreme. Under normal circumstances Zambian families can support themselves by living a simple lifestyle, but when they have the addition of several orphans to feed and educate they are pushed below the poverty line. Two thirds of the entire nation lives on less than £1 ($1.5) per day. Our aim is to develop sustainability in rural schools and communities so that every orphan has a chance to be educated.

Every child has a right to be educated

We have many people helping us to achieve this through fundraising, sponsorship and volunteering. Last month we welcomed Thomas Mills High School, whose pupils raised funds to build a sustainable school shop for Mukuni Basic School. Camping out in the classrooms, two groups totalling thirty pupils from Suffolk, set about building the facility, which will be used to make and sell uniforms as well as school supplies. Students assisted in the classrooms and participated in creative activities and on the sports ground. Furthermore in July we had Kayleigh Blake and Vicky Higgs, two UK volunteers, assisting at Mukuni Basic School, as well as Saga Volunteer Travellers Gill Waterton and Richard Reid, who have also just completed a month’s volunteering. Their support and generosity was invaluable to grades seven and nine who will be sitting exams later in the year.

Students form Thomas Mills High School

While it is essential for these vulnerable children to complete their education it is not always possible to seek employment once they leave school. Mukuni Village is close to the mighty Victoria Falls, a major tourist destination, but there are not enough jobs for everyone and unemployment is high. To take advantage of the surroundings and the abundance of visitors to the area we are initiating an Ecotourism project. In July I visited Zambia with Jonathan Sedo, an Ecotourism consultant from Costa Rica, who is submitting a project plan to The Butterfly Tree. Volunteer, Emma Kennedy, an International Development student will assist with the initial stages of the project. This is a great opportunity for Mukuni orphans and school leavers to be involved in an income-generating enterprise.

School leavers with Jonathan Sedo learning about Ecotourism

The orphan sponsorship program has been running since 2006, many of the children have now reached high school, some have already completed school whilst others are just starting. We have extended the program to help children in the following schools: Mukuni, N’gandu, Kamwi, Siamasimbi and Ndele and many more need help. If you would like to sponsor an orphan please click on the link.

Sponsor an orphan in Zambia

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Children don’t ask to be born and when you are born into a Zambian family the chances of losing your parents at an early sage are very high. The HIV and AIDS in Zambia pandemic has infected or affected almost every family. One in six adults have the HIV virus and 710,000 children have been left orphaned. What happens to these orphans? The luckier ones have family members who look after them, others have guardians, while the unlucky ones who have lost everyone close to them, have to fend for themselves. Many of the have to drop out of school as they can no longer afford the school fees and need to earn money to buy food.

Sponsor an orphan: Elena Malala lives in Kamwi Village with her elderly grandmother

The Butterfly Tree orphan sponsorship program has given hope to almost 400 children and the numbers are rising. Last month an association in Australia – the Mukuni Village Inc. Generously offered to sponsor twenty orphans in addition to the 30 they sponsored last year. This has given the program a huge boost. We have many donors sponsoring between one and ten orphans, some have been with us since 2006 coming from several different countries. We are extremely grateful for this support and hope that this continues as we need many more people to sponsor an orphan.

One man who was so touched by the plight of the orphans after volunteering at Mukuni is doing a fundrasing event to build a music centre for the school. Brendan Poynton, a musician, will cycle from London to Devon to perform a gig to raise additional funds. Chiswick TV are filming the story and event which is to take place on 30th September.

Mukuni pupils on the orphan sponsorship program using the guitar donated by Brendan

Virtually all of our projects in health, education and community work are for the benefit of these vulnerable children. By offering them a chance to go to school, eat a nutritous meal and drink safe, clean water they have a chance in life. Education is the most important aspect of an orphan’s life. Our aim is to get as many of these orphans back into education as possible and to build classrooms in areas where there are no schools. Ten schools in the Mukuni Chiefdom are receiving our support and it is hoped, funds permitting, that we can develop schools in the Musokotwane Chiefdom in 2011.

Victor Simango securing a job after being sponsored by the charity

In December we had our first school leavers after completing their A levels at the high school built by the charity. Although umemployment is extermely high one young man who had been on ourorphan sponsorship program secured a job with Sun International. Victor Simango works as a security officer at the Zambezi Sun Hotel alongside the Victoria Falls and is very grateful to his sponsor who gave him the chance to improve his situation. Help us to help more of these vulnerable children.

Mukuni Village Tourists

Posted on June 28, 2010 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

Victoria Falls is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and one of the most stunning sites in Africa. Mukuni Village is just seven kilometres from this World Heritage site, a place of worship for the local Leya people. The forthcoming Lwiindi ceremony is celebrated by these indiginous people who call the falls ‘The Smoke that Thunders’. Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit this wondrous site, staying at luxury hotels such as the Royal Livingstone and the Zambezi Sun, both owned by Sun International and for a taste of Africa, Stanley Safari Lodge or the Tongabezi Lodge. All of these companies are supporting the charityand the village.

Mukuni Village tourists: 3 young girls from the Leya tribe of the Mukuni Chiefdom

While visiting the area there is an option to take a cultural tour to Mukuni, to see the tribal people in their natural surroundings. Over the past four years The Butterfly Tree has received a substantial number of donations from tourists who have been moved by the plight of these people and inspired by the work of the charity. The Butterfly Tree team are able to give a guidied tour of Mukuni, showing them our many projects, the school children at work and the clinic in action, ending with a chance to purchase curios from the market.

Mukuni orphans receive tourists’ donations

After visiting the village there are many ways in which the tourist can get involved and become a philanthropic traveller. Either by a giving a one off donation towards a project, offering on going support or the most popular choice is to sponsor an orphan. Many of the orphans are on the orphan sponsorship program thanks to the generosity of tourists who have visited Mukuni. There is also the opportunity to return as a volunteer, something that several people have experienced and many wish to return. Saga guests include a visit to our projects as part of their itinerary and these tours have been extremely fruitful. For our American philanthropers there is now an opportunity to donate through GlobalGiving US, an organisation that helps non-profits to obtain US donations using a 501 (c) 3 certificate.

Volunteers at Mukuni

Posted on May 29, 2010 by Jane Kaye-Bailey

In the past twelve months we have been inudated with requests from people who want to volunteer at Mukuni. My son, Mike and his friend Lucy have just returned after spending two weeks working on The Butterfly Tree projects. Mike as a member of the charity, was able to check on our projects and visit several of the outreach schools where building construction is underway. The 1×3 classroom block at Kamwi Basic School is almost complete and a teacher’s house is currently being built; with the addition of a bore hole and feeding program, the children of this very poor, remote village will have a chance to improve their situation.

Volunteers at Mukuni: Lucy working at the pre-school Mike visiting lions at ‘Mukuni Big Five’

A visit to Siamasimbi was also included now that the rains are over and the village is again accessible. Mike spoke to the entire community who rejoiced when he announced that the charity is to build a 1×2 classroom block and a teacher’s house for the school. At Mukuni massive construction is underway – a 1×3 classroom block for grades eight and nine, a classroom for special education and an additional one for The Butterfly Tree pre-school. It was here were Lucy spent most of her days as a volunteer, teaching English to the young African children. With some of the funds she and Mike raised, three schools were presented with exercise books, pens and educational material.

New classrooms for Kamwi Basic School & Special Education at Mukuni

The remainder of the funds raised by Mike and Nigel Birch through their sponsored cycle, were used to set up a goat-rearing project for women. Half the profits will be used to create a self-sustaining income and the other half will be offered to help the disabled people of Mukuni Village. There is always an opportunity for volunteers to help either at the school, clinic or work on a community project so long as they fund their own travel and accommodation. Not only is there the opportunity to help these vulnerable people, it is an amazing place to visit. The village is just 7 kilometres from one of the most spectacular areas in Africa, the magnificnet Victoria Falls. We can give advice on where to stay, transportation and make the arrangements to work with the ground team. All we ask in return is for the volunteers to do some fundrasing or give a donation to a project of their choice. Many of these volunteers have expressed a wish to return to Mukuni or get involed with The Butterfly Tree charity. Some of them sponsor an orphan and others have donated generously. If you would like to find more about the chance to volunteer please contact jane@thebutterflytree.org.uk