Orphan Education Support - Zambian Villages

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS!

I have always believed that ‘every child has a right to education.’ After working in the rural areas of Zambia for almost fourteen years it is apparent that there are still far too many children unable to attend school, despite education being free up to grade seven. From grade eight upwards school and examination fees are required, as well as uniforms, shoes, books and educational materials.

In many areas of the Kazungula District I observe children being taught in traditional dwellings with only an untrained teacher from the community attempting to teach them the curriculum. Since 2006 we have built entire new schools, and expanded others, for one sole purpose – to provide advanced educational facilities for orphans and vulnerable children living in one of the poorest countries in the world.

The Zambian school year has just ended – throughout 2019 The Butterfly Tree constructed and developed more rural schools than ever before. According to the Ministry of Education we are the biggest contributor to education in the entire Kazungula District. The following projects have now been completed.

• River View Secondary School – addition of 1×2 classroom block & 2 boarding houses
• Muyunda – new community school, classroom block, borehole and latrines
• Nyawa Secondary School – addition of a science lab
• Nakawa Pre-school – complete facility for early learners – borehole, classroom and latrines
• Kawewa Primary School – 1×2 classroom block and latrines
• Mukuni Secondary School – addition of a boarding house
• Bunsanga Community School – addition of latrines complete the school

The two boarding houses at River View, and one at Mukuni, will allow more pupils from outreach villages to attend high school. We have also donated numerous desks, textbooks, equipment and much more. Chilaba school received a borehole with funding in place to provide clean water for four more schools.

In addition, we are sponsoring some 250 orphans from six schools, more grade 12 pupils completed school this month. We have funded nine students at colleges and universities – Esther and Lillian gained their teaching certificates. Four sponsored youths are now certified builders and have constructed the above boarding houses and latrines. Natasha, previously on sponsorship, is a main member of The Butterfly Tree team and runs the orphan support programme.

Supporting the  United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 our aim for 2020 is to build and expand more rural schools – construction is underway for a new satellite school close to River View. With 1,500 the school are unable to increase their enrolment, and 280 more pupils need accommodating!

Thank you to everyone for your invaluable support.

Links:

• The Buttewrfly Tree's Education Projects

I have just retutned from a rewarding trip to Zambia and can report on the following progress.

On the education front a boarding house has been completed at Mukuni Secondary School, this means that more pupils from outreach villages can enrol in the high school, whereas previously they would have to drop out of school after grades 7 or 9.

A further classroom block at River View Secondary Schoo, is now in use, for the 1,500 pupils atteding this school. In addition two boarding houses are currently under construction at this school. What makes these developments so special is that four youths, who were on our orphan support programme, are now certified builders. In the past nine months they have built the boarding houses, toilets and most recently a mother’s shelter. They are now earning an income and can support their families.

Muyundu Community School, in a remote area of Nyawa Chiefom, has a new classroom block and latrines. The aim of developing these rural schools is so that the Zambian Miinistry of Education can provide qualified teachers. Kawewa Primary School Development has now been completed in order for the school to introduce grades 8 and 8 at the start of the new school year in January 2020.

Another year will shortly end and more orphans on our support programme will be completing school. Besides some 250 individuals being sponsored in education, we currently have 8 college students being sponsored. We are delighted to announce that Esther, from N'gandu Village in Mukuni Chiefdom, has recently graduated from teachers' training college.

Our next education project is to develop an entire new satellite school at the Kazungula border. After discovering that almost 300 children have never been to school, we aim to construct a 1x3 classroom block and toilets for these vulnerable children, many of them living in extreme poverty. The facility will be a feeder school to River View. The area has a high prevalence of HIV and will be an invaluable asset to this town.

Links:

• Latest Developments from The Butterfly Tree