Seeds for Life in Zambia

The rainy season has now come to an end and no rain is expected to fall until November. In the past month The Butterfly Tree four drilled boreholes at Simukombo, James Sichetema and Mabwe Schools, and Mukuni Village. The first school proved to be challenging due to it being a sandy area. Water was eventually found at the second site, just as the sun was setting, at 60 metres. The borehole for Mukuni Village with an excess of 8,000 people will help to alleviate the water shortages in Namyola section.

During the dry season when water supplies become challenging, we aim to install more boreholes for schools and communities. Six schools that were given solar-powered water reticulation systems, complete with storage tanks, are producing food for their sustainable feeding programmes, after The Butterfly Tree donated vegetable seeds.

We continue to provide bags of ground maize to the orphans and children on our sponsorship programme. The rains this year were poor in the Southern Province and sadly many crops perished.

Three of the women’s projects, are progressing well. ‘Mangoes of Hope’ will provide 200 women in Musokotwane with a sustainable income-generating enterprise. Mango produce, including dried mango, juice and jam will be sold commercially. When mangoes are not in season tomatoes will be grown. ‘Hope for a Better Future’ is in the final stage of development for 200 women in Sekute to rear chickens and grow vegetables. The beekeepers in Muyunda, a project we initiated for 200 women, have started producing honey.

Each of these women's projects included a workshop, storeroom, borehole, solar-powered water system and toilets. These will eventually provide an inclome for the women to support their families and comunities.

Links:

• The Butterfly Tree Water Projects