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How Butterfly Space Began
Alice and Josie, the founders of Butterfly Space, became friends through their love for the extraordinary country that is Malawi, while initiating their own community projects around Nkhata Bay. Alice had a passion for youth and art projects and Josie for information and gardening related projects. They had a common desire to incorporate these ideas into a community space and volunteer hub where opportunities could be created.
They realised that Butterfly was the perfect setting to bring volunteers and the community together, and they bought the lodge in May 2007. Years on, the growing team remains passionate and the projects are thriving.
On-site, there is a lively youth club, gym, information and resource centre, media room & recording studio, all of which are open to the community free of charge. The lodge is also used as a hub to run various training sessions and meetings, and to show environmental demonstrations to both the community and school groups. Projects off-site include Malawi Permaculture School Clubs (MSPC), a thriving international primary school called Stepping Stones, Mphamba & Pundu disability skill-sharing centre’s, HIV support groups and more.
Volunteers are welcomed to Butterfly Space to share and learn new skills, and help us to develop and grow our projects. Volunteering is free of charge, but volunteers are expected to pay for the services they use while staying at Butterfly Space non-profit lodge.
See the projects below for more info on each project, and see how you can get involved…
Donate Now!
Please support our projects. Without the generosity and support we have received over the years, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do!
Thank you, from all of the Butterfly team!
Stepping Stones International Primary School
We believe in the unique talents of every child while expecting hard work, kindness, and excellence in return. We support both fee paying and non-fee paying students to create fairer opportunities.
Malawi Schools Permaculture Clubs (MSPC)
MSPC empowers primary school teachers in rural areas to run after-school permaculture clubs. Each student works on a permaculture plot and collectively they implement a school design.
Butterfly Information Centre
A multimedia library providing information on health, nutrition, environment and business, along with offering IT lessons, and providing access to a range of offline open source resources using Raspberry Pi.
UJE Umampha / HIV Support
Uje Umampha! (Be Well!) is a comprehensive programme in which volunteers help to provide vital support for people living with HIV, including education, knowledge, business opportunities and counseling.
Women's Groups
There have been a variety of women’s groups run by volunteers with skills they want to share. Butterfly creates a space for the women to learn, advertise and sell with support.
Butterfly Media Centre
A creative & dynamic space for Nkhata Bay's community which is full of media equipment & info, offering workshops & software to record & develop video & audio editing skills.
Disability Centres
Workshop and skill sharing centres that provide opportunities, support and education for disabled adults around Nkhata Bay. A nursery school is also run by the members!
Baby Baskets for new Mums
Regularly delivering a hamper of various necessities to new mums, meanwhile supporting Uje Umpampha (HIV) graduates, who weave the moses baskets to generate income.
School Links & Teaching
Establishing links to support local schools and children in the area by connecting them to schools around the world, fundraising to build new buildings and supporting sponsorships for school fees.
Butterfly Youth Club
Located on-site at Butterfly and run by dedicated local youth leaders, we provide resources such as games, toys, arts, crafts, a playground and a small outdoor theater space for kids to express themselves.
Nursery Schools
A total of 5 nursery schools have been built for the community around Nkhata Bay District following various fundraising efforts. Through ongoing efforts they continue to be supported by Butterfly Space today.
Kandoli FM -
Nkhata Bay Radio Initiative
One of Nkhata Bay's first radio stations with a fully equipped studio. We have run many workshops to teach the community about journalism, recording, and broadcasting and prep for live radio!
Permaculture School Gardens
An initiative to
introduce and implement permaculture principles to schools in the Nkhata Bay District, while linking them with other organizations such as Scope and Africa Direct. We offer training materials and on-going support.
introduce and implement permaculture principles to schools in the Nkhata Bay District, while linking them with other organizations such as Scope and Africa Direct. We offer training materials and on-going support.
Environmental Demonstrations
Providing a platform for volunteers to support and implement a variety of environmental demonstrations which can be taught to the wider community, and provide information about various topics and techniques.
If you are interested in getting involved in any of our projects, please take a look at out Volunteering Page. At Butterfly Space, we welcome people with all types of skill sets, and welcome volunteers and interns from all over the world!
