Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

 

From  1.1.2024    Period start date   To 31.12.2024  Period end date

Charity name: Friends of Monze

Charity registration number: 1154762

Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document

To prevent or relieve poverty in Monze in Zambia by providing or assisting in the provision of education, training, healthcare projects and all the necessary support designed to enable individuals and community groups to generate a sustainable income and be self-sufficient.

To develop the capacity and skills of the people of Monze in Zambia in such a way that they are better able to identify, and help meet, their needs and fulfil their potential.

Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.

Activities for the purpose of assisting in the provision of education

Friends of Monze (FoM) works with our Monze based partners Zambia Women and Girls Foundation (ZaWGF) together we jointly assess needs and plan activities. FoM works with the Monze Department of Education and schools.

School building to improve infrastructure: -  

Singonya school 3 classroom and 2 teacher’s offices block built.

Hambalamatu School 3 classroom and 2 teacher’s offices block built.

Hambalamatu School teacher’s house built.

Kasaka School teacher’s house built.

Chilwa School 3 classrooms block building started.

Curriculum books: - about 600 books each provided for Hamangaba, Singonya, Hambalamatu, Chicheleko and Chona Schools.

"Happy Reader" reading scheme: - FoM continued working with ZaWGF and the Department of Education to monitor children's progress in Chicheleko school.

Story books: - FoM provide children’s story books for 17 schools to have a library of books.

Desks: - locally made for Lushomo, Hamangaba, Chona, Kasaka, Hambalamatu and Chicheleko Schools.

Bookcases: - locally made for Singonya, Hamangaba, Chona, Kasaka, Hambalamatu. Chicheleko and Lushomo schools.

Activities for the purpose of assisting in the provision of healthcare

Activity to provide water by hand pump: - FoM successfully drilled a borehole at Hambalamatu School and fitted a hand pump.

Unsuccessful attempt to improve water supply: - Chona school had 2 boreholes; one drilled by FoM. Both boreholes dried up in 2024, the low amount of rainfall 2023-4 may have contributed to a drop in the water table. FoM tried drilling a new borehole at Chona however unfortunately this was not successful, no water was found: plans to establish a school garden had to be abandoned.

Activity to deliver water to taps using solar pump: - solar powered water pumping  installed at Kasaka, Hamangaba, Lumba-Moonya Schools.

Activities to improve hygiene: - 3 days water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) training and a school WASH club set up at Kasaka, Hamangaba and Lumba-Moonya Schools.

Activity to help prevent the spread of cholera: - Locally made Soap provided for 18 schools.

Activity to improve sanitation: - 2 double pit latrines (4 toilets) built at Kasaka and Hambalamatu Schools.

Activity to improve Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM): - FoM gave washable re-usable pads to Holy Family School for children with disabilities. Pads given to Chona and Namateba. FoM provided waterproof material needed to sew pads in Monze.

Activity to improve nutrition: - Supplementary school feeding program provided at 17 schools.

Activity to improve eye health: - FoM and ZaWGF are working with the Orthoptic Department at Monze Mission Hospital to carry out eye tests at schools for children and adults from the local villages. Eye tests were conducted at Kasaka, Kaumba, Chona, Singonya, Kampunu and Kachindu schools. FoM paid for prescription glasses to be made in Lusaka for 10 children.

Activity to promote healthy exercise: - sports balls were donated to Chicheleko and Hambalamatu schools.

Activities for the purpose of enabling individuals and community groups to generate a sustainable income and develop their capacity and skills

Activities to train builders: - At Singonya school 9 building apprentices completed theory and practical training in bricklaying and plastering while building 3 classrooms.

At Chilwa school 10 apprentices started building training. 

Activities to establish school gardens to generate income and develop agricultural skills: - FoM provided 5 days permaculture gardening training for children, teachers and farmers at Chona, Kasaka, and Namateba Schools.

Tools seeds and plants were provided to Kasaka and Namateba schools.

FoM erected a fence at Kasaka and LM school as many cattle wander the school grounds destroying crops.

Activities to help farmers develop the skills to generate income during a time of climate change: - In remote rural areas in the east of Monze District farmers suffered drought and did not harvest any food. In this hilly area farmers do not have cattle to sell. FoM visited hungry villagers foraging for wild roots.

A sustainable way to make a difference is to teach villagers the skills to combat climate change by growing drought resistant crops.

FoM provided farmers at 4 remote rural communities Mungolo, Lusumpo, Chitama, and Namateba with training and cuttings to grow drought resistant cassava. They also learned water harvesting to keep rainwater on the land and raise the underground water table. ZaWGF took the farmers on field visits to successful casava farms and to see water harvesting ditches and small weir dams.

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Achievements in assisting in improving education.

In 2024 FoM achieved improvement of the educational infrastructure in Monze District of Zambia by building a new block of 3 classrooms at two schools and starting at a third.

The beneficiaries are the children who are attending school including children who were not in school before FoM improved educational facilities. Being literate and numerate will make a difference to their future and contribution to society.

Singonya School: - in a rural area teaches 615 pupils from Early Years to Grade 9 (5 to 16 years old) of whom 93 are single or double orphans and 140 are vulnerable due to poverty.

The 3 new classrooms and 2 teachers offices make a difference by reducing class size. Children benefit by reducing the teacher/pupil ratio, pupils have more teacher contact time so improving education.

FoM donated many up-to-date teachers’ handbooks and pupils’ textbooks and 2 bookcases. Pupils benefit as it is easier to learn when there are fewer pupils sharing books.

Hambalamatu School: - is in a remote rural area. It only had 1 classroom teaching 127 pupils in 3 classes up to grade 1. Many children had to leave education at this level aged 7 years.

3 new classrooms make a difference to these children who will now benefit from being able to attend a nearby school going up every year to grade 7 (age 14).The number of pupils will increase yearly as children are able to learn up to grade 7.

Children were sitting at homemade benches or sitting on the floor, without desks it was difficult to learn to write. FoM provided 30 desks. Children benefit from sitting comfortably at desks so they can learn to write with something to lean on. Hambalamatu School only had 5 books before FoM built classrooms.FoM donated curriculum books and 2 bookcases so Children’s education benefits from access to books. FoM also donated colourful story books to promote a love of reading.

FOM built a house for the one Government paid qualified teacher to live onsite at Hambalamatu. This will make a difference to the local society as the teacher acts as a bridge between the poorly educated villagers and the school encouraging communication and school attendance.

Chilwa school: - only had two small, dark, basic rooms that were used as overfull classrooms teaching children up to grade 3 (age 9). In 2024 FoM started to build 3 new classrooms. The new classrooms will make a difference as Chilwa will be able to teach children up to grade 7.

Kasaka school: - is a large school with many teachers and their houses suffered from severe damage from termites that ate literally everything – books, clothes, ceilings and walls. FoM built a modern termite resistant teacher’s house this benefits teacher’s morale and the whole school.

FoM provided desks and bookcases to improve education.

Hamangaba School: - FoM provided desks curriculum books and bookcases to improve education.

Lushomo school: - FoM provided 50 desks this made a difference as the pupils benefitted from being comfortable and being able to write more easily.

Chona School: - FoM provided curriculum books desks bookcases to improve education.

Chicheleko School: - FoM provided desks, curriculum books, and bookcases to improve education.

"Happy Readers" reading scheme: - In past years FoM provided this culturally appropriate graded reading scheme to improve the standard of literacy at 11 schools. At Chicheleko school, ZaWGF tested children learning with the “Happy Readers” reading scheme. They reported the reading scheme was making a difference with children in Grade 3 and 4. (9- and 10-year-olds) demonstrating improvement in their ability to read in English.

Story Books: - Teachers have asked FoM to provided library books for children to practice reading and to take home to share with their families. FoM provided story picture books to 17 schools to benefit children by encouraging a reading culture.

Achievements in assisting in improving health.

In Monze District people suffer from outbreaks of diarrhoea and vomiting, cholera, neglected tropical diseases and intestinal worms. These illnesses lead to chronic ill health, inability to work or attend to education and poverty.

An adequate, safe water supply for children to drink and wash at school is essential for good health. FoM’s work to improve and maintain the water supply benefits school children, and the nearby community which uses schoolpumps or taps.

Achievement delivering water by hand pump: - Hambalamatu School did not have its own borehole, pupils had to walk to the nearest community borehole and carry water to school. FoM made a difference by drilling a borehole fitted with a handpump, to provide water benefiting the school and nearby community.

Achievement delivering water to taps using solar pumps: - Solar pumps installed at Kasaka Hamangaba and Lumba-Moonya schools. Drawing water by hand is hard heavy work for women and girls, they que up to take their turn to draw a precious bucket of water which has to be carried home. Solar water pumps are a sustainable alternative in Zambia. Solar panels provide power to a submissive pump to raise water from the borehole. A Monze based engineer welds a tower to hold a water tank providing pressure to deliver water to 7 taps for the school, garden, teachers and nearby community. FoM has installed 15 solar pumps, they are a game changer providing water to benefit the children to drink, hygiene, water for nearby homes and bringing school gardens to life.

Achievements improving hygiene: - Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) training. At schools when FoM have installed solar powered water pumps ensuring an adequate supply of water, FoM provide 3 days WASH training. FoM provided this training at Kasaka and Hamangaba Schools. Training is delivered to the teachers, children and community leaders. They learn to make “tippy tap” hand washing stations and racks to keep cooking utensils away from animals. Healthy habits are reinforced at a school WASH club. This makes a difference as children learn to be “agents of change” going on to construct hand washing stations at school and in their homes. Children in villages benefit from improved hygiene.

Achievements in preventing the spread of cholera: - In the 2023-4 rainy season Zambia suffered its worst outbreak of cholera since 1977. There were cases in Monze District. To prevent the spread of infection, schools were closed for 5 weeks. FoM donated bars of locally made soap to 18 schools to help prevent the spread of cholera.

Achievements in improving sanitation: - Two double pit latrines (4 toilets) built at Kasaka and Hambalamatu schools. Schools visited by FoM are woefully short of toilets. Safe hygienic toilets are essential. The pit latrines are carefully constructed to last for years. The pit latrines make a difference by preventing the spread of water borne diseases, especially when there is heavy rainfall causing flooding

Achievement in improving Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM): -

In rural areas there are few or no shops, and poor families cannot afford disposable pads. They lack hygiene and disposal facilities.Lack of materials to manage menstruation forces girls to miss school and drop out of education. Keeping girls in school improves their education and impacts wider society.

FoM provided waterproof material for women at Seventh Day Adventist, United Church of Zambia and Twelve Apostles Church to sew washable re-usable pads in Monze. These pads are sold to generate income for the Churches to do charitable work benefitting society. FoM purchased 150 pads which ZaWGF gave to girls living with disabilities at the Holy Family School.

Pads were also given to girls at Chona and Namateba schools.

Achievement to improve nutrition: -

In the 2023-4 farming season Zambia suffered its worst drought in 40 years leading to a failed harvest. Teachers told us of children too hungry to walk to school. When hungry children were in school they were unable to concentrate on lessons and had to be sent home. The Government provided some school food. FoM provided supplementary food, maize and groundnuts, to Chona, Sikabenga, Kasaka, Kachindu, Nalutanda Primary and Secondary, Hamangaba, Kampunu, Mwiinga-Malimvwa, Kaumba, Namateba, Mungolo, and Singonya schools.

School feeding made a difference as children attended school when they knew there would be food. School feeding improved attendance particularly for girls from poor households as they did not have to stay home to look for wild food. Children’s attention span learning capacity improved.

Achievements in improving eye Health: -. Schools in Monze do not have eye screening. 

FoM and ZaWGF are working with the Orthoptic Department at Monze Mission Hospital to carry out eye tests at schools.

FoM conducted eye tests at 6 schools, Kachindu Kampunu Kaumba Chona Singonya and Kasaka schools.

Some children thought by teachers to have low performance were found to have vision problems. FoM paid for prescription glasses to be made in Lusaka for 10 children.

The dry dusty environment and poor hygiene cause between half and three quarters of children to suffer from red inflamed eyes, they have allergic conjunctivitis. Untreated this could affect their vision. The Doctor gives treatment. 

People from local villages are invited with babies, adults and the elderly who take advantage of the opportunity to get their eyes tested. They are given treatment, glasses or referred to hospital.

Achievements in improving exercise: - FoM donated footballs and netballs to Chicheleko, Hambalamatu, Chona and other schools. Children benefit physically and mentally from taking part in sports. Teachers have told FoM how boys do not attend school because they are herding cattle and goats, having sports at school makes a difference because it improves boys’ school attendance.

Achievement developing capacity, improving skills, generating income.

Building apprentices achievements: - At Singonya School 9 local men and women apprentice builders were given 2 weeks building theory training by a lecturer from a local college. They learned practical skills on site while building the 3 classroom blocks and all passed a theory and practical exam at the end of their training. The apprentices have gone on to other building work improving their skills, generating an income and raising building standards.

A new cohort of apprentice builders started training at Chilwa school in 2024.

Achievements in using school gardens to generate income and develop agricultural skills: - FoM has helped establish 16 school gardens. Most gardens are the size of 8 allotments.

FoM provided 5 days permaculture gardening training at Chona. Kasaka and Namateba schools. The training is attended by teachers, pupils, local smallholder farmers and village elders who contribute their traditional wisdom. Skills taught include making natural fertiliser and pesticide; growing food when there is drought and floods by water harvesting, planting trees, growing drought resistant crops.

The achievements of the gardens are: -

• growing food for the children to eat, improving nutrition by providing a variety of food

• teaching children gardening, children over 12 years old help in the gardens

• teachers use the gardens to teach other subjects like science, maths, English, geography.

• sales generate an income for the school and support volunteer teachers.

The gardens are run by a committee including teachers and members of the local community who practice gardening skills

The schools share achievements on schools WhatsApp groups, and the trainers share advice to improve skills.

Achievements of farmers learning to grow food at a time of climate change: -

This is an ongoing activity, casava plants may be ready to harvest in 18 months’ time.