January 2024

Mothers of Africa in collaboration with the Welsh Government and the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Namibia (UNAM) are helping to fund a project to build a new nurse-led clinic and Education Centre in Rundu, Northern Namibia, a campus of UNAM. The aim is to greatly upgrade facilities there to make a major difference to the teaching and learning facilities for the nursing students in Rundu and at the same time to provide clinical care for the people of Rundu, most of whom live in shacks in townships. Mothers of Africa’s contribution is the furniture.    Rundu is a remote area and it is difficult to attract healthcare staff to live there so the education and production of locally trained high quality nurses is of paramount importance.

These locally trained nurses are also more likely to stay in the area long term, greatly to the benefit of the local population.

March 2024

Mothers of Africa in collaboration with the Welsh Government and the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Namibia (UNAM) are helping to fund a project to build a new nurse-led clinic and Education Centre in Rundu, Northern Namibia, a campus of UNAM. The aim is to greatly upgrade facilities there to make a major difference to the teaching and learning facilities for the nursing students in Rundu and at the same time to provide clinical care for the people of Rundu, most of whom live in shacks in townships. Mothers of Africa’s contribution is the furniture.    Rundu is a remote area and it is difficult to attract healthcare staff to live there so the education and production of locally trained high quality nurses is of paramount importance.

These locally trained nurses are also more likely to stay in the area long term, greatly to the benefit of the local population.

October 2023

With the aid of a very generous grant from the Monaco Government Mothers of Africa Monaco, with sustainable architects Caukin Studio https://www.caukinstudio.com  have completed the building the Shiyala Nursery school and it has opened its doors to 60 pupils. 

The villagers are very pleased to have this important facility, which was immediately fully subscribed. 
It is now fully decorated and equipped as required by the local education authorities, as well as having toilets and complete security.  As planned, we have handed over the school to the Zambian government who now own and run the school, employing the teachers.  A huge thank you to all the UK undergraduate engineering  volunteers from Cardiff University and to the local team of builders. We employed 50:50 local women and  men to ensure maximum benefit to the local community.  Two great outcomes are that one of the local Zambian builders has established his own company as a result of the build, with the help of Caukin personnel, and that a group of the Cardiff University volunteer students have in turn founded their own sustainable building company, which will carry out projects similar to this.

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Full story can be found on our Projects Page Shiyala Nursery

September 2022

After a two-year hiatus, caused by the corona virus pandemic, work is underway to build the kindergarten for the preschool children at the Shiyala Primary School, Zambia.

The scheme has been designed by social enterprise architects CAUKIN Studio, who are also project managing the build in Zambia.

As with previous builds, which Mothers of Africa have undertaken in Zambia, local craftspeople and labourers are employed, and paid the in-country rate for their job. The build team also includes participants working with CAUKIN. The participants work hand-in-hand with the local workforce, developing their craft skills and learning from each other.

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After a long wait the kindergarten will be welcoming its first learners in September 2022.  The building of the kindergarten has received generous financial support from the Government of Monaco.

April 2021

Mothers of Africa Monaco Association President, Susanne Bohush, highlights the charity’s work in interviews with two Monaco on-line magazines, The Real Riviera and Good News Monaco.

In the interview with The Real Riviera, Susanne describes how the Monaco Association was established to support the work of the Mothers of Africa UK charity. She discusses how the charity’s objectives had developed to include building infrastructure, recognising the role education plays in empowering women and girls, and contributes to cultural change. “We are building schools and really providing education” she believes.  In the Good News, Monaco feature, Susanne highlighted a collaboration with The International School, Monaco. She said, “We work with the Philanthropy Club who helped us with some events last year (2019) and continue to raise awareness. In addition the Little Sun lamps were from funds donated by the Early Years. We are extremely grateful for their support.”

In both interviews Susanne describes how Mothers of Africa has continued to support the Chongwe community during the global coronavirus pandemic. The charity has developed new projects in response to the needs of the local community. She told The Real Riviera:
“We applied for some grants from the Welsh government and received two awards. One of which was used to help in Chongwe District Hospital. The second grant we used to buy sewing machines.” She told Good News, Monaco, “Since COVID, we have been working with a local women’s sewing circle in Chongwe, providing handmade face masks to the schools and district hospital.” The group have also used the sewing machines to produce handmade sanitary protection packs to all the girls at the Shiyala and Evergreen schools. “We will be extending this to all the girls, some 16,000 people, in the district over the next two years” she said. Reflecting on her time with Mothers of Africa, Susanne told The Real Riviera: “I have a great team here in Monaco, I have really enjoyed being the President of the Monaco Association. I really believe in the idea of teamwork and bringing out the best of what everybody is good at. We really are a team. I find that really exciting because it just works, it is completely organic.”

Read the full interviews at:
https://therealriviera.com/mothers-of-africa-stepping-up-for-those-in-need-by-ned-kelly/
https://goodnewsmonaco.com/2021/03/07/susanne-batstone/

February 2021

Routine, elective surgery restarted January 12th, at Chongwe District Hospital thanks, in no small part, to Mothers of Africa and the Welsh Government.

In November 2020 we reported how Mothers of Africa were working with Chongwe District Hospital, in Zambia, to create safe pathways in the hospital. This would separate COVID and non-COVID patients, in an effort to encourage the community to attend the hospital for non-COVID conditions. The project, funded by the Welsh Government’s Wales and Africa grant scheme, created notices and directional signs guiding patients to COVID safe areas, as well as funding training for all the staff in the hospital, and COVID-19 testing for patients.

Mothers of Africa trustee in Zambia, Dr Job Mwanza, said: “All patients are being subjected to a test before theatre. Accessing the COVID-19 test has been a challenge, but we managed.” Professor Judith Hall, founder of Mothers of Africa, added, “This is so important, especially as COVID-19 has escalated dramatically in Zambia.”

November 2020

When the global coronavirus epidemic hit all but emergency surgery in hospitals in Zambia was stopped and routine outpatient services closed. Since July 2020, Mothers of Africa has been working with Chongwe District Hospital to reopen these services, in a COVID-19 safe setting.

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Thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government’s Wales and Africa Grant Scheme, administered by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action, Mothers of Africa and Chongwe District Hospital have introduced safe patient pathways for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients; identifying physical spaces for each pathway; with signage and basic hygiene stations at critical locations. The grant also funded 5 days of socially distanced teaching in patient streaming for all 250 staff.

JULY 2020

Mothers of Africa is helping a community in Zambia in its fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to two awards from the Welsh Government’s Wales and Africa Grant Scheme.

One award is to help the Chongwe District Hospital start taking non-emergency patients again. The pandemic has made the community of around 250,000 people reluctant to attend the hospital for fear of catching the virus. Mothers of Africa is working with local experts in the hospital and Ministry of Health, to create safe patient pathways, one for COVID-19 patients and another for non-COVID-19 patients. The grant will also fund training for the 250 staff at the hospital and a programme of testing for the disease as patients arrive. The founder of the charity, Cardiff University’s Professor Judith Hall said: “What matters is that cross-infection does not take place in the hospital”.

The second award is to support 2,000 children return to classes at three schools in the Chongwe District of Zambia. The Government has mandated that children should return to school providing that there are adequate hand washing facilities, and that each child wears a face mask. Mothers of Africa is providing 6,000 bars of soap for the three schools, and each child with two face masks each. The Welsh Government’s grant will allow the charity to buy 6 sewing machines, on which a local women’s group in Chongwe will produce the face masks. Professor Hall describes this as a “sustainability intervention”. She said, “We are working with a wonderful collaborator, Mrs Noriah Bulaya, who will not only produce the face masks but will educate the women in sewing skills: a legacy project for the future.”

Both projects are described by Professor Hall on the charity’s video stories page: https://www.mothersofafricacharity.org/videos

May 2020

After discussions with Chongwe General Hospital’s Medical Superintendent, Dr Chilala, Mother of Africa has donated 420 bottles of Hygienix soap and 10 rolls of paper towel. The soap and towel will be used at the entrances to departments and wards in the hospital. Mothers of Africa has supported the hospital, which serves a population of around 140,000, in various ways since 2012. Pictured in the left image are Mothers of Africa Zambian-based Trustee, Dr Job Mwanza (left) with Her Royal Highness Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II (centre) handing over one box of soap to Mrs Mable Changala from the district health office (left). Accepting the donation, a delighted Mrs Changala said it will go a long way to protect the frontline health workers and community from Covid-19.

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The donation also included 800 cloth facemasks for visitors to the hospital. The hand-made masks were sewn by a group of local women led by Noriah Buleya, who is pictured in the right image, handing over the masks to Her Royal Highness Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II.
 

May 2020

Mothers of Africa’s project aimed at improving conditions for school learners in Zambia has received recognition in the international architecture community, with a feature in Archdaily. The Evergreen Primary School project brought four new, much needed, classrooms and a teachers’ office to this rural school in Kanatantapa, a settlement in the Chongwe district, east of the capital Lusaka.

The build was designed and project managed by CAUKIN Studio who spent three months living and working in the community during the summer of 2019. Mothers of Africa employed over 30 local workers, half men/half women, bringing much need paid employment to the area and an opportunity to develop new skills. CAUKIN also engaged volunteer participants, mainly from university architecture courses.

With class sizes at Evergreen running at between 80 and 100 learners with one teacher, the new classrooms will improve the learning environment. As local mother and builder Rachel Matale said: “What they are doing here is very good because it has to improve the standard of education”.

Mothers of Africa and CAUKIN had planned to be back at Evergreen in 2020 to build another two classrooms that would start a new kindergarten and pre-school for the community. With the advent of the Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic these plans have been rescheduled for 2021. However, this gives Mothers of Africa the opportunity to raise more funds and discussions are now taking place with CAUKIN and Evergreen School to see how the build might be enhanced, if more funding is secured.

Link to Archdaily: https://www.archdaily.com/939053/evergreen-school-caukin-studio?utm_source=photographers&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=just-published

Watch Rachel Matale’s interview: https://youtu.be/32Ue_cB5Xxk

May 2020

An in-country report from Mothers of Africa Trustee, Dr Job Mwanza

Zambia, like many other African countries, has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The country reported its first two cases on 17th March, 2020 and since then cases have been increasing. As of 30th April, 2020, the Country had recorded 106 cumulative cases, three total deaths, 55 recoveries and currently 48 active cases. Lusaka is the epicentre. Unfortunately, 16 health workers have become infected with the disease during their course of their duty, of which five have been discharged.

The Government of Zambia has put in place measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the community. These include among others;

1.    Frequent hand washing. Public places, including hospitals, have been directed to have handwashing facilities with soap. 

2.    Social distancing
3.    Wearing of masks in public places including hospitals
4.    People returning from Covid-19 affected countries have to be in mandatory quarantine for 14 days

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The World Health Organisation has warned that Africa could become the next epicentre of Coronavirus.

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The medical superintendent of Chongwe District hospital, Dr Mutinda Chilala, told us of the challenges of the lack of PPE and inadequate infection prevention and control training. She said the government were working to supply appropriate PPE for frontline staff.

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In the meantime, Mothers of Africa have been providing soap to Chongwe hospital for hand washing and are negotiating with a local women’s group to produce cloth masks for relatives and visitors to the hospital.

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Dr Job D. Mwanza 
ICAP-Zambia
Senior Advisor-Care & Treatment
Chevening scholar-Cardiff University
Commonwealth Professional Fellow
Lusaka, Zambia 

January 2020

The Annual General Meeting of Mothers of Africa (MOA), on 16th January 2020, saw major changes in our appointed Trustees. 

After over 15 years our dedicated Trustee and Treasurer Dr Steve Morris stood down. He firmly believes in the direction and values of MOA, but as new horizons beckon, it is time to move on. What a marathon, what a contribution, all MOA people are very grateful to Steve.

After over 5 years supporting MOA Mrs Maria Gundy stood down as Trustee . She has made a remarkable and tireless contribution. Though stepping down because of family reasons, she tells me that she will still work for MOA. I'm grateful, MOA is grateful. Thank you Maria.

This left myself (Chair) and Dr Monica Chawathe (Treasurer) as Trustees, not enough! Consequently, we were delighted to have four solid MOA friends agree to take on the role.  

• Ms Susanne Bohush (of UK and Monaco) is an experienced charity worker and indeed is President of the MOA Monaco Association.

• Mr Paul Crompton has supported MOA for a decade and his speciality will be photography, messaging and communications.

• Dr Sunil Dasari is a UK MOA supporter and very keen to develop fundraising in the Wales.

• Mrs Vicky Layton is Vice President of MOA Monaco and has expertise in fundraising and Social Media.

All of our Trustees are dedicated, energetic and will be enterprising for MOA.

Our vision remains that, through education at grassroots level, we can save the lives of women:

• That education will enable choices for women and families. 

• That education will reduce poverty and health improve. 

• And so MOA supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

December 2019

Together, Julian Lennon's White Feather Foundation & Mothers of Africa are building a Nursery School for 50 small children in Zambia.    

Early years education is critical for children's development, especially in rural communities where tough lives make education almost impossible for families.

We must raise 35,000 Euro to build the school & TWFF has donated a massive 5,000 Euro to get things started. 

Mothers of Africa is very grateful indeed.

Will you help too? Please make a donation via The White Feather Foundation 

June 2019

After its success with the Shiyala School build in 2016/17, Mothers of Africa has turned its attention to the neighbouring school, Evergreen Primary. Work has started on building a series of new classrooms at the school, near Chongwe, Zambia. This new project, funded by the charity, will help towards reducing class sizes at Evergreen, which can reach nearly 100, that is more than twice that recommended by the District Education Board. With families keen to get an education for their children and teachers reluctant to turn away willing learners, these large class sizes making for a challenging environment for all.

The plans include 4 new classrooms, designed to seat 48 learners in each, and a teachers office. The plans have been drawn up by CAUKIN Studio, who are also managing the project on the ground in Chongwe. They have recruited a local workforce of equal men and women – a core requirement of Mothers of Africa – and these will be paired up with volunteers from a variety of backgrounds, who arrive in mid-July.

The project is due for completion in September 2019.

May 2019

May 2019 will see Mothers of Africa back at the Shiyala Primary school, in rural Zambia, to run another of their highly successful holiday camps. Teachers Janice Newport and Vicky Layton, both from the charity’s Monaco Association, will be working with the school’s salaried and volunteer teachers to deliver a four day programme developed in collaboration with head teacher Mr Enock Charles Banda and Ms. Mirriam Kufanga.

Mr Banda says: “Working with this charitable organization has been very exciting!  They are one of the most committed, dedicated and serious groups I have met. Suffice to say that they are down-to-earth friendly & a wonderful group to work with.”

While only 34 children from a school roll of over 350 will be able to attend, the local teachers take an active part in the programme, sharing in the learning experience.

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The trip will also provide the opportunity to present more donated books to the school library and collect new core teaching books, purchased in country.

27th March 2019

The charity’s major commitment in 2019 is the building new classrooms at Shiyala’s neighbouring school, Evergreen. Unlike Shiyala, which was only adopted by the local education board, in 2016, Evergreen is a long established school catering for a widely dispersed rural community. Class sizes of up to a 100 learners are taught in difficult conditions. In the past the school’s PTA has started to build a classroom block but ran out of funds before it could be completed. However, with Mothers of Africa’s engagement with the school, the government has committed to completing this build, while the charity builds the new classrooms blocks. This combined approach should reduce class sizes considerably.

Mother of Africa founder Professor Judith Hall says: “Educating the girls in a proper Zambian school, with proper Zambian trained teachers, they will now have the opportunity to control their own health, for their own future, and I think that’s the biggest thing you can do for maternal health.”

Mothers of Africa has engaged Caukin Studio, a collective of young architectural designers, who are working in collaboration with Evergreen’s head teacher Mr Esau Phiri and local authorities, to develop plans for new the classrooms and other creative learning spaces. The build is planned for the summer of 2019 and will provide opportunities for volunteers to work hand-in-hand with local crafts people.

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Volunteering information is available from Caukin Studio: https://www.caukinstudio.com/volunteer

7th February 2019

Most of us have fond memories of our favourite childhood stories and the moments we shared reading with our own children. As children grow up what do we do with the books that gather dust and remain unread? Difficult to give away these precious family souvenirs.

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In 2018, MoA launched our sustainable book project helping to recycle your memories and recycle your books.

We collected over 1,500 children’s second-hand books from our supporters and local schools which are now on their way to our small school library in Zambia. The empty bookshelves are waiting to be filled and the children are waiting to read and love your books. 

Sincere thanks to everyone who made a book donation.
 

23rd September 2018

Your very generous donations buy essential stationery for Evergreen and Shiyala schools. MoA deliver directly into the hands of the people who need your help.

Mr. Phiri, headmaster of Evergreen School was delighted to welcome MoA founder Professor Judith Hall. "Prof Judith brought us the vitally needed stationery: chalk, reams of paper, ballpoint pens, pencils... We are very thankful to the Mothers of Africa Team for this support!” said Mr. Banda, headmaster of Shiyala School.

We thank BookWorld, Lusaka for their generous 15% discount and Japhen Mwakalombe Trust for organizing the logistics

30th May 2018

On May 2nd 2018, the Honourable Minister Japhen Mwakalombe and local MP, came to Shiyala village for the official Shiyala Primary School inauguration.  Mr Mwakalombe took time to give special thanks and words of encouragement to the six volunteer Shiyala teachers.  Also pictured are: Professor Judith Hall, founder of Mothers of Africa; Dr Job Mwanza, Chongwe, District Health Director; and Paul Crompton, official MoA photographer.​

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18th May 2018

​The long awaited Zambian text books have arrived at Shiyala Primary School. There are over 2,000 books: a copy per student, per subject and per grade and not forgetting teacher's books and atlases.   "The Mothers of Africa Team have made us proud & more determined to deliver our services to the community of Shiyala." said Mr. Banda, Headmaster, upon taking delivery of the books.
 

We thank Bookworld, Zambia for their generous discount and help in ordering the books.

19th March 2018

More friends of Mothers of Africa: 32 triple desks were delivered to Shiyala School  Zambia.  Your fundraising is making a huge difference to hundreds of children.

29th January 2018

​Mothers of Africa is delighted to welcome Julian Lennon as the charity’s first Ambassador. As a prominent philanthropist, already supporting health and child education through his White Feather Foundation, Julian shares the aspirations of Mothers of Africa. As we continue to grow and undertake new projects, Julian will help promote our activities and goals to an even larger audience.

We thank Julian Lennon for his trust and support in our work to build a more sustainable future for women and girls in sub-Saharan Africa.