We are a small charity that supports community and conservation projects in South Luangwa, Zambia

Bringing a smile to Zambia

Latest News

Dear Make Me Smile Supporters

We wanted to send you wishes for all a joyful and peaceful Christmas and wishing you Health and Happiness in 2024.

We can also share a little update from both of our programmes; Malimba School and Conservation South Luwanga.

Thank you for your continued support. As always regular donations, however small, really help us to provide more reliable funding, please visit our website for more information. All money donated goes to directly to our two projects.

We received news a few weeks ago that during recent storms, the rooves of both the Jojo Harris Dining Hall and very first classroom built on school grounds had blown off. Quick and decisive action was needed. We immediately sent a donation of £500 pounds and this covered most of the costs to replace both roofs. As you can see from the pictures below the roof of the dining hall has now been replaced so the school now has use of these valuable spaces, protected from the hot sun and rain. We are in the midst of the rainy season now so it’s really important that these spaces are water tight.

CLICK TO SUPPORT MALIMBA SCHOOL

NEWS FROM CONSERVATION SOUTH LUANGWA

Read about just some of the fantastic work that CSL have been doing over the past few months….

BABY ELEPHANT RESCUE

In October, DNPW vet Dr Lengwe Bwalya and the CSL team rescued an elephant calf who had been reported alone for at least five days by Lion Camp. The calf was immobilised and transported to Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust where he was cared for by a Game Rangers International (GRI) elephant keeper and Chipembele staff. The calf has been named Bupe, which translates to ‘gift’. Bupe is now a member of a new elephant family at the GRI elephant orphanage in Lusaka. Follow GRI’s social media channels to stay informed about Bupe’s progress as he embarks on his journey back to the wild.

ELEPHANT, BABOON & AFRICAN WILD DOG FREED FROM SNARES

In November, CSL responded to a call from conservation partners the North Luangwa Conservation Programme and safari company Busanga Trails. CSL relief pilot, Denise Joi, flew the CSL team to Luswa Valley in the Mukungule Game Management Area, located to the northwest of North Luangwa National Park, to provide veterinary assistance to a bull elephant in distress with a deeply embedded wire around his left foreleg.st month, CSL-ZCP vet Dr Mwamba Sichande responded to a call from the Kakumbi veterinary office to remove a snare from a yellow baboon. The snare had cruelly immobilised the baboon, severely hindering his movement and his ability to eat as the snare wire was obstructing his mouth

Earlier this month, Zambian Carnivore Programme discovered a snared wild dog from the Luamfwa pack near Kulandila Camp. DNPW, Dr Mwamba and CSL-ZCP Pilot Gareth Broekhuizen responded to the call. Fortunately, the wire around the collared male’s neck was loose so there were no injuries but he sustained bruising on his mouth from trying to chew the wire.

Thankfully the snares were successfully removed and all three animals are expected to make a full recovery but without Conservation South Luangwa and all their partners this would not have been possible.

Finally we sadly have lost two dedicated team members.

Rita Banda Chola worked at Malimba for five years, she was married to and had five children, two girls and three boys. A dedicated staff member who worked closely with our headmistress, Ezelya. She loved working with the children took a keen interest in helping those who were struggling with their studies. Sadly she recently died and the school will greatly miss her.

Ezeliya Martha Piri, Headteacher, Malimba School

‘Jebson Tembo, affectionately known as ‘Jebbie’, was a kind and honest man with a youthful spirit. Jebbie joined the community human-wildlife coexistence team in 2008 as a Field Officer in Nsefu Chiefdom. He was dedicated to teaching people how to live alongside wildlife. He completed conflict data assessments, built grain stores, mentored new volunteers, advised on borehole locations and managed chilli patrollers. He always had time for others, quick to pitch in with teamwork and frequently provided guidance to bring people together. His loss to cancer has been a huge blow to the CSL team.

Emma Robinson, Human-Wildlife Coexistence Programme Mgr, CSL

Jebbie

Rita Banda Chola

CLICK TO SUPPORT CSL