Raise a Smile News
20.12.2011 Raise a Smile Zambia trip report
Raise a Smile founding members Gray, Esther and Kevin are finally back home after six successful weeks in Zambia. They spent their time visiting our three supported projects to let you know how your donations are being spent. First stop on the trip was:
The new kitchen at the Magazine Community School |
Magazine Community SchoolGray was at the school in April and May of this year already, to build the new school toilets. Since then, they have also built a new kitchen which helps greatly in feeding the 200 pupils that all receive one free meal from the school per day! During our visit, we were lucky enough to watch some traditional Zambian dancing. A group of pupils recently won a competition for their dancing and were desperate to show it off for the rest of the school and visitors! You can see pictures of the new kitchen and the girls in action below this report. |
Bwanji Kids Orphanage
Next stop was N’gombe compound in Lusaka. The Bwanji Kids orphanage is forever expanding, since our last visit they have been able to offer a new home to 12 new children. Unfortunately the new children have not been able to attend school yet due to a lack of funds. Therefore, our current goal for this project is to fundraise for school fees. Sign up to become a member and for just €10 a month you could make sure that one of the new children at the orphanage can attend school, become a member now!
Kazembe OrphanageThe most exciting part of our trip was definitely transporting 4 dairy goats to the Kazembe Orphanage. Goats for meat production are widespread in Zambia, but milk goats are unfortunately much harder to find. Therefore, we had to buy them 100 km east of Zambia’s capital, Lusaka, and then transport them nearly 1,000 km to Kazembe. We rented a minibus and removed the seats to give the goats some space. As an animal lover, Esther spent most of the trip sat on the spare tyre in the back of the minibus with the goats to make sure they felt at home. |
Esther making paper mache masks with the children at the Kazembe Orphanage |
Unfortunately, the goats decided to show their gratitude by wagging their tails, flicking urine everywhere. We have never been so happy to see a shower as we were after the journey to Kazembe!
We were also fortunate enough to be in Kazembe just in time to see Nathan (who is sponsored by the Raise a Smile Hostel Berlin) celebrating his third birthday. (see pictures below)
Click on the thumbnails below to see more photos from our trip!
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Anyone who knows Raise a Smile well, will know that we are currently planning to open a new school. For that reason, we also spent time meeting with the ministry of education and doing research into finding a suitable site for the school. We will publish more on the new school project in the coming year.
Everyone at Raise a Smile would like to wish you a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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09.12.2011 Lomi, Audhumla, Bazi and Coco arrive in Kazembe
Congratulations to Annett, Florian, Gernot and Ursula who won the Raise a Smile members competition to name the new Kazembe Orphanage milk goats.
Visit the Raise a Smile charity Facebook page to see all four of the goats!
The goats are very special as they are some of the only dairy goats in Zambia. Each of the 3 females will produce between 3 and 5 litres of milk a day. With the orphanage being in such a remote area this reliable supply of milk will be invaluable, allowing the orphanage independence from the erratic milk deliveries they have struggled with until now. The remote location of the Orphanage also caused quite an adventure with a 1000km journey to deliver them. You will be able to read our goat delivery adventures in our November 2011 Zambia trip report (coming soon!)
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17.10.2011 Raise a Smile visit Zambia
It's that time again! On Wednesday, part of the Raise a Smile team will make their way to Zambia. In contrast to our last visit in spring 2011, where founding member Gray spent 2 months overseeing the construction of the school toilets in Chipata, this time we will be able to spend time at all 3 of the projects we support. First up is the Bwanji Kids Orphanage in Lusaka. From there we will take a bus to Chipata in Eastern Zambia, where we can assess the developments in the Magazine Community School and take a look at the new school toilets. Finally we will make the long journey up to Kazembe in the North of the country in order to transport goats to the Kazembe Orphanage. 16 hours on the open road with a truckload of goats is surely an adventure waiting to happen!
And don’t forget there are just a few days left to enter our competition to name one of the Kazembe goats! Click here to find out how
Raise a Smile will visit all 3 of the projects we support to document how your donations are being spent!
On top of all that, this visit to Zambia promises to be that extra bit special. This time we can begin serious planning for the Raise a Smile School project, starting off with the search for a suitable location. Don't forget Raise a Smile members always pay for their trips to Zambia from their own pocket so you can be sure that more of your donations end up supporting the people who need it most.
Wish us luck!
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26.09.2011 Milk Goats & Monthly Members
Did you ever dream of naming your very own goat? Well now is your chance, because we are currently running an exciting competition for new Raise a Smile members.
At the moment the Kazembe Orphanage buys formula milk to feed the children. However, in such a rural area it is not only very expensive, but also the delivery of the milk is terribly unreliable. Therefore, we have decided to get some milk goats for the Orphanage. They will not only give the orphanage independance from the delivery company, but will also save money for the orphanage in the long run.
Sign up to become a Raise a Smile Member for your chance to name a goat!
And now for our competition! Every new member who signs up before the end of October will be entered into a prize draw with the winner being given a once in a lifetime chance of naming one of the three goats!
For your chance to name a goat, sign up to become a Raise a Smile Member now!
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05.09.2011 Mosquito Nets & Malaria
Thanks to a generous donation from a former Raise a Smile hostel guest, we have been able to provide new mosquito nets for the Kazembe Orphanage. Malaria is a wide-spread disease in developing countries, caused by parasites which are passed on to humans by mosquito bites. Untreated infections can be fatal and are especially problematic for children. Children under the age of five make up 50% of all malaria deaths. Prevention of mosquito bites is the best way to stop malaria and insecticide treated mosquito nets are one of the greatest methods of doing so.
The new mosquito nets in one of the children`s bedrooms.
Read our article to learn more about mosquitoes and malaria and why these nets are so important for the children at the Kazembe Orphanage.
...and finally some sporty news. Raise a Smile Supporter, John, from Portsmouth contacted us recently as he wanted to do a sponsored walk. He will walk 10 miles from Southsea Beach to Cosham and back to raise donations for our projects. Please get in touch with us if you want to sponsor him. John is looking forward to your support. If you also have ideas for a sponsored activity contact us and we will do everything we can to help you!