Productive Year for Project Luangwa (original) (raw)
Productive Year for Project Luangwa
Despite significant challenges such as power cuts, funding cuts and the cyclical El Nino Southern Oscillation weather pattern bringing a drought in its wake, Project Luangwa is powering ahead to help communities in South Luangwa National Park and the greater Luangwa Valley.
It may only be September but the team have already:
- Delivered nearly 4 600 Ufulu hygiene pads to 916 girls (lack of menstrual products or ‘period poverty’ is a major reason for girls to miss school, resulting in falling behind on work)
- Nearly completed phase 1 of the new Learning Centre in Mfuwe
- Built over 3 000 fuel-efficient cooking stoves for disadvantaged houses (deforestation and habitat loss are worsened by cutting down trees for fuel)
- Planted nearly 1 300 trees
- Mentored 23 youngsters with enhanced IT and life skills through their Foundation Programme
- Run over 20 Youth Clubs in 15 schools with a focus on confident decision-making processes
- Sponsored 119 children to attend secondary boarding schools and 75 young people for university and collage
- Delivered sports kit to over 550 children and adults
Support the Centre for Learning and Sport in Mfuwe
With phase 1 being complete and 23 young people already being helped with ICT, English, budgeting and organisational planning, feedback from the community shows a hunger for:
- Facilities for football, netball, basketball, hockey and tennis
- Adult literacy classes
- Digital library to access IT
- Affordable and reliable Internet
- Solar power banks
- A crisis centre with on-site counselling for victims of gender-based and domestic violence
If you can make a donation, provide a service or supply materials or equipment for the centre, please reach out to Project Luangwa.
Reopening the Library at Malimba
Less than half the adults in South Luangwa can read and poor literacy levels are compounded by the fact that all children have to change from lessons in Nyanja to English only when they are in Grade 5. The lack of mother tongue education holds many learners back.
With the support of the Africa Hope Fund, Project Luangwa has been able to reopen the old library at Malimba Primary School, meaning there are now six reading centres in the area, which see about a thousand children a week and host more than 5 000 reading sessions every month.
The Eco-Stove Project Catches Light
After crisis when funding was pulled earlier this year, Elephant Charge and Expert Africa came on board to help Project Luangwa keep this important project afloat. Already, 3 072 stoves have been donated to households and 1 294 trees planted, all in a bid to reduce carbon emissions and save woodland. South Luangwa is home to the world’s largest population of wild dogs (painted wolves) but their pristine habitat is threatening by the twin foes of deforestation and manmade climate change.
Eco-Stoves also supports users on a human level. It is predominantly women and children who suffer the most from collecting wood in dangerous locations, and it is children who are in the greatest danger from horrific burns or loss of life from open fires. By providing a practical solution and educating communities on why reducing emissions and increasing reforestation are important, the project is helping to save habitats, minimise pollution and reduce injuries.
How You can Help
Even relatively small amounts can have a big impact on someone’s life:
- USD15 provides an eco-stove for a family
- USD20 buys a pack of reusable Ufulu pads
- USD30 provides a new school desk (many pupils have no desks at all)
- USD150 goes towards electronic tablets for the Digilearn project
- USD750 supports the girls’ and boys’ football teams for the rest of the season
For more information or to support Project Luangwa, please email [email protected]
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