Orphan Education Support - Zambian Villages

World AIDS Day - 1st December

‘Equalize’ is the theme for 2022.

According to the World Health Organisation HIV remains a major public health issue. 'Globally, 38.4 million [33.9–43.8 million] people were living with HIV at the end of 2021. An estimated 0.7% [0.6-0.8%] of adults aged 15–49 years worldwide are living with HIV, although the burden of the epidemic continues to vary considerably between countries and regions. The WHO African Region remains most severely affected, with nearly 1 in every 25 adults (3.4%) living with HIV and accounting for more than two-thirds of the people living with HIV worldwide.'

The Butterfly Tree supports HIV orphans and peer education, in Zambia. Now in its sixteenth year the orphan sponsorship programme has helped hundreds of individual children, and many thousands more with improved water, health, and education facilities. The Zambian school year is about to close and a further twelve pupils have just completed high school, some of them have been on the programme from grade one through to grade twelve. This opportunity is life-changing and gives children, who live in extreme poverty, hope and a chance of a better future.

In addition, ten students participating in skills courses at Libes college in Livingstone, have also completed and waiting for their certificates. The courses included building, carpentry, plumbing, catering, and forward and clearing. Seven students are currently on degree courses.

With focus on the World Cup taking place in Qatar we are delighted to have been chosen as the nominated charity partner for an International Youth Football Tournament. The Butterfly Tree supports football for youths as well as empowering girls to help prevent them from being enticed into early marriages, teenage pregnancies, and drug and alcohol abuse. We have received a generous donation to fund a tournament in Zambia and the organisers will promote our work at their tournament next year.

A donation, however small, to our Christmas Appeal to provide a bag of ground maize for orphans and vulnerable children can really make a difference. The cost for a 25kg bsg of ground maize is just £6 or $7.