Cecily's Fund Summer Newsletter 2016

Special 12-Page Issue

Summer Newsletter 2016: Towards 20!

Moving Towards Our 20th Anniversary 1997 - 2017

2 | Cecily’s Fund

Welcome!

Social | Keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook

and

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at

/

cecilysfund and on Instagram at cecilys.fund

About and Contact | Cecily’s Fund is registered charity 2016 continues to fly by and summer is here. What this means is that Cecily’s

1071660.

Fund is half way through another busy year, and more key events are still to

education possible for orphaned

come. So much is coming up in the calendar, in fact, that we’ve expanded our

and vulnerable children in Zambia.

2016 summer newsletter to a bumper 12 pages.

Email

This year’s Cecily’s Day marks the start of our special Towards 20 campaign

admin@cecilysfund.org

which will build up towards the 20th anniversary of our work in Zambia in 2017.

Phone

You can read more about the campaign on page 3. Meanwhile, we wish you a wonderful summer and hope to see you on Cecily’s Day.

Our

work

makes

01993 358 089 / 186 Post Ground Floor, 6 Church Green,

In this issue Towards 20! on Cecily’s Day

3

Supporters Moved by Visit to Zambia

4

A Great Loss: Gift Shanyinde

6

Partner Interview: Teddy

7

Emmanuel’s Story

8

Success of Alumni Event in Kitwe

9

Supporter Focus: Carol Williams

10

A Super September Draws Near

11

Welcome Evie

12

Witney, Oxon, OX28 4AW

Summer Newsletter 2016 | 3

Towards 20! on Cecily’s Day Our History: Some Highlights | 2001: Cecily’s Fund partners with the Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP) and launches our Peer

Health

Education

Programme.

2004:

The

number

of

PHEs

trained doubles to 40.

2007:

Our

supporter

organisations in Switzerland and the United States are formed.

We’re delighted to invite you to Cecily’s Day on Saturday

2012:

September 3.

Cecily’s

Fund

secures

funding from Comic Relief for the first time.

This year’s event will be the last to take place at Stonesfield Manor before a move to Witney in 2017 and mark the opening of our Towards 20!

2013: Funding for our Fresh Start

Campaign.

entrepreneurship programme is

This year’s event will largely retain the familiar format of years past. We

secured from the Department for International Development.

2015:

Comic Relief use case

will meet at Stonesfield Manor (OX29 8QB) at 1pm, and guests will be able to meet Cecily’s Fund staff and trustees and hear updates on the progress of our work in Zambia over the last year. After this, our annual

studies of two Cecily’s Fund-

picnic will take place at Stonesfield Manor’s garden.

supported children in materials

In the run up to our 20th anniversary, Cecily’s Fund will also be asking

shown to schoolchildren around the UK.

supporters to consider making a pledge to raise funds for our work to celebrate this milestone. One supporter who has already made such a commitment is Kate Williams who is taking on an amazing challenge shortly after Cecily’s Day and is a friend of Alison and Basil. You can read more about Kate, who has qualified for the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Mexico, on page 11.

We would love for you to join us on the day, which we hope will be even more special than usual as we prepare for our 20th anniversary – beginning in 2017, Cecily’s Day will continue in even stronger form following its relocation to Witney.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

4 | Cecily’s Fund

Supporters Moved by Visit to Zambia “Cecily’s Fund has made a huge difference to so many young people and it was inspirational to see what is being achieved.”

- Supporter Mary Fletcher

This July, founders Basil and Alison Eastwood returned to Zambia with a group of supporters to see our work in both Kitwe and Lusaka. During their trip, they visited schools and homes, met with inspiring alumni, drew the attention of the

The group met the members of a

national press and even did some fundraising of their own. Together, they had

new saving committee

an inspiring and moving experience of the work Cecily’s Fund is doing to help young people improve their lives - and our Supporter Relations Officer Georgina was there to capture it all in photos.

In this piece, supporter Rhona Walker shares her experience of meeting Charles, a young man supported by Cecily’s Fund who is determined to make the best of his life.

I joined the group from Cecily’s Fund to see for myself the remarkable impact that it is having on the lives of many of Zambia’s most disadvantaged children.

I lived in the mining town of Chililabombwe during the 1970s but this was my

A stationery shop was one of the Fresh Start businesses visited...

first return to the country in over 40 years.

I met Charles at Chamboli Secondary School, where he enrolled himself at the age of 14. Gertrude, the Cecily’s Fund contact teacher in the school, describes him as an excellent student, highly motivated. He is clearly very determined and focused.

When both his parents died, Charles went to live with other relations until their marriage broke up. Then living unhappily in Lusaka, he brought himself back to Kitwe, his home town, determined to complete his schooling and achieve his ambitions. Cecily’s Fund now pays all his school expenses. He lives in a single rented room, found for him by school and paid for by his teachers, who club together for the money.

...and Basil received a hair cut at another

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

Summer Newsletter 2016 | 5 He proudly took us to see it – the place where he eats, sleeps and studies in one of the back alleys of Chamboli. Bone dry and dusty in July but doubtless a sea of mud in the rains.

Running water comes from a tap outside, and there is no electricity. Charles’ room is his world; it has his desk, his chair and his few books, floor space for his clothes, and a small mattress to sleep on. He cooks on a charcoal brazier in the communal area where there is a toilet and shower and, outside, a place for washing clothes.

Yet despite these very basic conditions, surrounded by overwhelming poverty, Charles is a dignified, charming and immaculately turned-out young man. I asked him whether he has friends to socialise with. “Yes,” he replied, “I have friends, but most of the time I am too busy with my studies.

When I come home from school, I study for four hours every evening,” he explained. “How do you see in the dark if there is no electricity,” I asked. He showed me the torch lying on his desk, next to his applied maths textbooks. It runs on batteries - another expense.

And what about living costs? Charles told me that he gets work when he has The group visited Helen Kaunda

time, usually grass cutting and similar labouring, to earn money for charcoal,

secondary school for girls

fish and maize meal. “I walk to the market,” he said. “It’s about 20 minutes – the other way from the school.”

So what of the future for this young man who clearly wants to get ahead? In the past there was work in the mines. Not now. Anyway, Charles has other ideas. But – and it’s a big but – finding the money to realise them will be a challenge. As Gertrude told me, there are some government bursaries for university fees but preference is often given to students who also have support from their families.

Charles has no family to turn to for help. He is on his own. But he does have

A Peer Health Education session

backers. His school and Cecily’s Fund are helping him to realize his

underway

considerable potential.

* Charles’ name has been changed to protect his identity .

For more coverage of the supporters’ trip, turn to page 9 for a summary of the Cecily’s Fund alumni event written by our co-founder Basil Eastwood.

We’ll be featuring lots more stories and photos from the supporter trip on social media, on our website, and in future newsletters. We are very grateful to Children hard at work on selfportraits school

at

BISO

community

everyone who travelled to Zambia to see our work there, and to all our partner organisations for helping to make this special trip such a great success.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

6 | Cecily’s Fund

A Great Loss: Gift Shanyinde

On Monday 23 May, the Cecily’s Fund staff team and Trustees were extremely saddened to learn of the tragic loss of Gift Shanyinde, Community Mobilization Officer at our partner Afya Mzuri. He died from injuries sustained in a serious car accident in Zambia one week earlier.

Gift was based in Afya’s Kitwe office and had been responsible for implementing our education support programme for several years. Gift’s conscientiousness and dedication to supporting orphans into education enabled Cecily’s Fund to reach thousands of vulnerable children and strengthen links with schools and the Ministry of Education in Kitwe.

At one time an employee of our former partner organisation Hodi, he transferred to Afya Mzuri when our new partnership began in 2013. He worked closely with schools and communities in and around Kitwe, advocating for better education and health provision for orphaned and vulnerable children. One key part of his role was to conduct field visits to schools and colleges to monitor the progress and welfare of children supported by Cecily’s Fund and Afya Mzuri.

Gift often served as a key point of contact in the important partnership between Cecily’s Fund and Afya Mzuri. He was a welcoming presence for visitors to Zambia, such as when Comic Relief sent teams to document the stories of three Cecily’s Fund-supported children in 2014. Gift would later describe these occasions as his favourite memory of his job.

Mutale Bowa, Executive Director of Afya Mzuri, said: “Gift was a humble, hardworking and committed young man. He was able to fit in with the different groups he worked with and bring himself to their level be it the pupils we supported, the contact teachers or other community members, Gift managed to fit in.”

The news of Gift’s accident and of his passing has had a tremendous impact on everyone who knew and worked with him. Our thoughts remain with Gift’s family, friends and colleagues.

This story is adapted from one on the Cecily’s Fund website.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

Summer Newsletter 2016 | 7

Partner Interview: Teddy In this instalment of our series of interviews with staff of our partner organisations, we speak to Teddy Nyasulu. Teddy is Executive Director of Junior Achievement Zambia (JAZ). JAZ is a part of the global Junior Achievement network and leads our work on entrepreneurship and empowering young people in Zambia. We ask Teddy about his role and how partnership with Cecily’s Fund has changed the work of his organisation.

CF: Can you describe your role and responsibilities?

TN: I am responsible for the overall performance of the organisation. I supervise the departments of Junior Achievement Zambia and ensure that the policies developed for the Board are implemented to the letter.

I am also the chief spokesperson for Junior Achievement in Zambia and have a large role in fundraising for the organisation. I simply help to ensure the organisation is afloat in all respects.

CF: Which part of your role do you enjoy most?

TN: I most like to interact with young people and see them transform their lives for the better. I feel so happy to see young people who have benefited from our program doing something with their lives. It just makes me so pleased I helped.

CF: How do you think that partnership with Cecily’s Fund has changed the work of Junior Achievement Zambia?

TN: Working with Cecily’s Fund has made us work in areas we never imagined we would work in many years ago. We are now able to partner with [Cecily’s Fund partners] CHEP, Afya Mzuri and BISO to reach orphaned and vulnerable children which has never happened before and is something we are very proud of. We have learned so many things in this partnership and wish to be a part of it for many years to come.

CF: What are the most important lessons that have been learned, in your view?

TN: Firstly, we have learned that entrepreneurship education can improve the chances of seeking selfemployment for orphaned and vulnerable children in Zambia. Secondly, we have also learned that a more robust follow-up is necessary for the success of most young people in their entrepreneurship ventures.

There is also a need to engage local mentors to provide more exposure to young people and expand their learning. Personal finance skills are also necessary for the success in business. I cite only a few but the list is endless!

CF: How would you describe the relationship between Cecily’s Fund and JAZ? TN: The relationship between Cecily’s Fund and JAZ has been very good and has always grown from one level to another. We have accomplished many things in the last three years beyond our expectations.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

8 | Cecily’s Fund

Emmanuel’s Story - 2 Years On Back in 2014, we spoke with Emmanuel Kunda about his work helping vulnerable children. Having been supported by Cecily’s Fund himself, Emmanuel was determined to find a way to use his education and skills to improve the lives of others in the same situation. To that end, he founded his own organisation, the Jireh Home of Hope Foundation.

This year, we spoke to Emmanuel again to find out more about his work and what progress has been made, two years on.

1) Can you describe what your life situation is at the moment?

Currently I am working in a charitable organization which I founded full time, as my passion is to see it grow and alleviate illiteracy and poverty in the lives of vulnerable children in Kabanana. Sustainability of my life comes through business consultancy in development and financial reporting for different organization that we have contacts with. I have also worked for Access Bank Zambia.

2) Can you describe the work you have done to support children and young people?

In 2014 I registered a charitable organization, Jireh Home of Hope Foundation, here in Zambia. Its aim is to help the orphaned and vulnerable children in my community, and I have so far helped more than 200 pupils in junior and senior secondary school. We’ve had the support of our local member of parliament, which has helped us request funds from churches and local businesses. However, this is not enough to meet the needs of all the children, so some pupils are taught on the basis of our having proved their vulnerability.

3) How did you originally come to be supported by Bwafwano?

BISO helped me to get an education through my humble mother who worked as a care giver and volunteer, taking care of sick and underprivileged people in the community. When had nowhere to turn when my father died. I was a young boy of about 9 years old, in Grade 2. BISO stimulated in me a purpose-driven life when they became my sponsor. I was able to continue school and complete primary and secondary levels. Later, I progress to a higher learning institution on BISO’s recommendation.

4) What are your goals for the future?

When I got the opportunity to be sponsored by BISO, I told myself I needed to work hard not just for me but for every child whose future I felt I could make an impact on.

Therefore my goal since that time has never changed, I strive to make sure every child or youth I know who is not in school gets enrolled. It is only then that I feel fulfilled, and this will continue to be my goal because children are born every day under different circumstances.

Furthermore my other goals are to train young people in in entrepreneurship in order to help them create their own businesses and achieve self-reliance.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

Summer Newsletter 2016 | 9

Success of Alumni Event in Kitwe

To coincide with the visit of our founders and a group of supporters in July, the alumni group for young people who have been supported by Cecily’s Fund Over 150 people attended the

organised a special event in Kitwe. In this piece, Basil Eastwood recalls his

event, held in Chimwemwe ward

experiences of this successful day.

The alumni association could not be sure how many would turn up to the catholic church hall in Chimwemwe, one of Kitwe’s wards. In the event there were people 150 or more; the hall was full, and a sea of our orange T shirts. As well as the President of the Association, speakers included the District Education Standards Officer, the Programme Director of [Cecily’s Fund partner] Afya Mzuri, our Zambian patron Dr Sixtus Mulenga, myself and Alison. All of us wore our Cecily’s Fund T-shirts.

Guests were treated to singing

As well as presenting the story of Cecily’s Fund and telling the alumni that they

from some of the alumni

were future leaders of their country, Alison and I asked them to reach out to those whom we had sponsored through our previous implementing partners.

The alumni association’s potential membership is now huge, and the alumni themselves pledged to support our programmes in the future.

Then we all poured out into the sunshine where everybody wanted to be photographed with us since they all said how much they owed to the support from Cecily’s Fund. It was all quite emotional especially when two of them said that they had pictures of Cecily on their walls.

Afterwards we all went off to a mass fundraising car wash in downtown Kitwe. It

Basil and Alison Eastwood with patron Dr Sixtus Mulenga and his wife Rebecca

all generated good coverage in the local and national media and a lot of goodwill – and it was good fun.

I am looking forward to next year’s trip already!

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

10 10 || Cecily’s Cecily’s Fund Fund

Supporter Focus #5: Carol Williams Before the supporter trip to Zambia in July, we spoke

to

Carol

Nottingham

Williams,

Soroptimists,

President about

of her

Photos from the July 2016 supporter trip

experiences of supporting Cecily’s Fund and her anticipation for seeing our programmes for herself.

CF: How did you first come into contact with Cecily’s Fund?

I first heard about Cecily’s Fund on holiday in Iran when Alison Eastwood distributed leaflets round our coach on a long journey from Isfahan to Persepolis. At the end of the holiday we were stuck in Tehran for several days because the ash cloud fall out from Iceland stopped air traffic over Northern Europe. I got to know Alison and Basil as we were trying to get out of the country and heard in more depth about the amazing work that Cecily’s Fund

Children at each school were eager to meet visitors

does in Zambia.

Alison and Basil make an amazing impact when they attend and speak at any gathering. The result is electrifying although it must be very difficult for them.

My own daughter had worked in a Zimbabwean school on her gap year and I knew from visiting her what a different chance in life education gives to children.

CF: How would you describe your fundraising experience?

From April 2015 until April 2016 Nottingham Soroptimists adopted Cecily’s Fund as one of our causes to support. During the year we had a coffee morning in the Peak District;

a Twelfth Night party with mulled wine and

Children sang for their guests at Bupe school

minced pies; Bring a Book and Buy a Book Tea Party: a quiz called “A Journey Round Britain” which made £300 and was just what everyone was looking for to keep the family occupied over Christmas.

In February we hosted a springtime concert given by Carlton Male Voice Choir in Nottingham, at which Basil and Alison spoke. The choir gave its services for free and have now become interested in Cecily’s Fund themselves. All the Soroptimists baked delicious cakes which the audience and the choir tucked into with relish during the interval. In all, over £1,000 was raised.

CF: What’s next for you?

Secondary school students were

I am certainly looking forward to visiting Zambia in July to see what Cecily’s

also asked to produce a self-

Fund is doing on the ground and hope to use the experience to spread the

portrait

word in talks when I get home.

Become a part of the Towards 20! campaign - contact us to find out about fundraising for Cecily’s Fund in 2017!

Summer Summer Newsletter Newsletter 2016 2016 || 11 11

A Super September Is Coming This September will see three major fundraising events by Cecily’s Fund supporters. We hope you’ll donate to support their brilliant efforts and our work in Zambia.

September 11: Marc’s London to Brighton Cycle

Sponsor Marc today at http://bit.ly/marcride 10K Runners Raise £3,000 | Marc is the husband of Veronica Monsarrat,

On July 10, a new group of

Cecily’s cousin and one of our trustees. To

runners took on the British 10K

kickstart our super September of sponsored

London Run for Cecily’s Fund.

Comprising Doughty

members Street

events, he’ll be cycling from London to

from

Brighton on September 11 and is accepting

Chambers,

donations now.

Southborough High School and others, the team has raised over £3,250 for our work in Zambia.

As ever we are hugely grateful to the team for training, fundraising and running in this special event, in which Cecily’s Fund supporters have taken part for many years.

Bring on 2017!

September 15: Kate’s ITU Triathlon World Championship in Mexico

Sponsor Kate today at http://bit.ly/katewitu Kate ran in the very first London Marathon.

Two years ago she took up triathlon, and has qualified to compete in the 65-69 age group in the world championships in Mexico. She’s also generously offered to fundraise for our work.

September 24: Swim Serpentine The organisers of the London Marathon have created something new for 2016: the very first Swim Serpentine. Two swimmers will swim one mile in Hyde Park’s iconic lake we’ll be sure to share more details on this brand-new event when we have them. Swim Serpentine is sure to become an important annual event.

our Towards 20!

20 campaign Become a part of the campaign -- contact contact us us to to find find out out about about fundraising fundraising for for Cecily’s Cecily’s Fund Fund in in 2017!

2017!

12 | Cecily’s Fund

Welcome Evie, Our New Fundraiser In early July, Cecily’s Fund welcomed a new member to our team in Witney. Evie James is our new Trusts and Foundations fundraiser. In the role, Evie manages the relationships of Cecily’s Fund with trusts and foundations supporting its work.

Having practised as a finance lawyer, in 2008 Evie joined Astia, a US notfor-profit working with women-led high-growth companies. At Astia she worked in the US and UK in fundraising and programmatic roles. With two young boys, Evie likes to spend as much of her free time outside as possible and has a love of music.

We hope you will join with us in welcoming Evie to Cecily’s Fund as she begins her new role.

Donation and Gift Aid Form Help Us Educate More Children in Zambia Bank Standing Order Mandate (please also fill in the left-hand side)

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Please pay Cecily’s Fund CAF Gold, Sort Code 40-52-40 A/C no. 00089893 The sum of: £

taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that the charity

o quarter o year o until further notice

will reclaim 25p of tax every £1 that I give.

Each month

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Please contact Cecily’s Fund if you need to amend these details or cancel your Gift Aid declaration

Signature Date

Please return the form to Cecily’s Fund, Ground Floor, 6 Church Green, Witney OX28 4AW Cecily’s Fund is a UK Registered Charity number 1071660 and a member of the Fundraising Standards Board Scheme: FSO137