By Jane Kaye-Bailey | Founder
Thanks to the tremendous support from our donors The Butterfly Tree has been able to provide PPE to 40 rural schools and 30 clinics. The opening of the first term for the new school year, was pushed back from January to early February due to the increase in coronavirus cases caused by the new variant from South Africa. However there were no more interruptions, and the first term has just come to an end.
Schools are given a donation of masks, soap, disinfectant, and hand sanitizing gel, without this provision they would not be allowed to open. Though the cases have reduced, Zambia is heading towards winter when there could be a rise in cases. Therefore it is imperative that we continue with the distribution next term.
Because most people cannot afford to buy protective masks, we have two youths in Mukuni Village who have been trained as tailors, making masks. We are shortly going to start a second production line with four female tailors in Musokotwane village. Besides helping their community they can earn an income, and using reusable masks is much cheaper than disposable ones and better for the environment.
Food shortages remain an issue for those communities that rely heavily on tourism. Therefore we continue to provide bags of maize for those most in need, primarily orphans and vulnerable children. Fortunately, the rainy season, which has just come to an end, has been exceptionally good this year and for those who could afford to buy seeds, bumper crops are expected.
Until tourism opens up, we must continue to help those that have had no income since March 2020. In addition to people working in hotels and lodges communities such as Mukuni and Simonga normally receive tourists every week. The tour operators pay a small percentage for every tourist that visits the villages, and all of them have curio markets selling gifts and souvenirs. We are working with a tourism consultant to see how we can attract more tourists once it is again safe for people to travel to Zambia to see the spectacular Victoria Falls and to go on safaris.
COVID-19 support is still very much needed and all donations, however small, are very much appreciated.
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