Orphan Education Support - Zambian Villages

The Butterfly Tree has come a long way since 2006, gaining a sound reputation for transparency, attracting a global following, as well as continuing to be run by a team of dedicated and hard-working volunteers. After recently spending three weeks in Zambia there is so much to report, so many stories to tell and many people to thank.

The start of the trip was spent hosting a Commissioner from our major donor organisation, For three days we revisited schools that have been developed for orphans and vulnerable children. These included Kamwi, Ndele, Mukuni, Machenje, Matengu and Silelo schools, and ended with a visit to the newly opened clinic at Mahalulu. The Commissioner saw first-hand how far we have reached, the challenges we face and met our wonderful team of volunteers.

Further development is taking place at Nampuyani school, where a new borehole and latrines have been added and the classrooms have been restored. Previously the only source of water was collected from bacteria infected shallow wells. The three hour drive to Nampuyani was tough, driving across river beds and a little too close for comfort to bush fires! However the joy of seeing children pumping safe clean water, was both humbling and overwhelming, and well worth the effort.

Muchimbale School, also in the Nyawa Chiefdom, underwent extensive development in 2013. Now thanks to further funding a health post is to be added to reduce the distance that this community has to walk to seek medical attention. Moving on the Musokotwane Chiefdom Simango School, with some 750 pupils, has the addition of a Special Education unit. In all these schools there is a high percentage of orphans.

As always I was given a substantial amount of items to distribute, which included medical supplies, knitted items and football jerseys, complete with 15 footballs. In addition we received 130 t-shirts impregnated with mosquito nets from Portugal. These are to be given to a remote community where there is a high prevalence of malaria and also to our Zambia volunteers. We are continuing our campaign to help the fight against malaria and to prevent further new cases in these rural villages.

We are currently sponsoring over 350 individual orphans as well as helping thousandes more with their education. It was wonderful to see that some of the ones we started sponsoring in 2006 are about to sit their grade 12 exams, after which they will complete their high school education.

Thank you to everyone for all your support – without you, none of this could have happened!

Links:

• September Newsletter