We are actively involved with The Butterfly Tree charity, run by Jane Kaye-Bailey and they have an exciting new Africa housing project underway.

Whilst on a recent visit to Mukuni Village, Zambia, one of the most noticeable problems Jane spotted when walking around the villages, is that despite having an abundance of land many people still live in overcrowded conditions. Sadly this is due to the fact that these communities are too poor to build new homes and too many are living in one house, especially families taking in orphans due to the HIV / AIDS pandemic.

Traditionally every rural Zambian homestead should have 3 houses, sleeping quarters for both the males and the females and a kitchen. Jane of The Butterfly Tree charity has visited a number of families where there is only one house (effectively a small hut) and as many as six people sleeping in it!

Houses should be thatched every five years but sadly many have leaking roofs. The Butterfly Tree charity recently paid to repair a house for an elderly lady suffering from asthma. Her roof was leaking and the mud walls had holes causing drafts during the cold winter months where the temperatures at night can drop to below 5 degrees.

Grasses are free to gather but it is hard to believe that the poor cannot even afford the £10 to have their roofs re-thatched. Jane is on a mission with The Butterfly Tree charity building new homes for the needy, particularly widows and children. These will be slightly larger than the norm and will have concrete floors which are more suitable during the rainy season than the ones with sand bases.

Photo: The new home for Esnat and her mother.

It only costs £300 to build a new house which will accommodate at least four people comfortably with the Africa Housing Project. If you would care 'to build a home' for a family or get involved in any way you can contact Jane by email or visit www.TheButterflyTree.org.uk to get involved with the Africa Housing Project.