John Deere tractor sent to Zambia
After two years of fundraising, a tractor is finally on its way to help those in an orphanage in Zambia, Africa.
Loading the container
Members of the Wroxham Bure Valley Rotary Club recently exceeded their fundraising target of £15,500, with the help of 28 donors in the local agricultural industry. The money has funded a
John Deere 5E tractor, which has been shipped to the Faith Orphanage Foundation in Kitwe North. The tractor will help those at the orphanage, who are currently farming by hand, by allowing the land clearance of the farms that they have been given, increasing their acreage to around 700. This will make the farming of fruit and crops more efficient, to improve both home consumption and also increase the sale of produce, allowing Faith to fulfil her vision of a self-sufficient organisation. Finally, the machine’s arrival will help over 6,000 people to learn a skill before they become adults and decide to leave the orphanage. As well as teaching agricultural skills, the Foundation provides training in carpentry, IT and tailoring.
Hugh Hollis at AB Plant Shipping was also a major help with the shipping logistics
Ben Burgess Aylsham supplied the tractor, which was loaded into its container last Friday morning, to begin its eight week journey. Martin Fuller, Branch Manager of Ben Burgess Aylsham, said, “It has been a pleasure to be able to support such a fantastic project, one that is sure to improve the lives of the Kitwe community in Africa.”
A service kit and some office equipment were also donated by Ben Burgess to help fill the container. Many others contributed, not just financially, but by providing a plough, tractor tyres, clothing and other materials. Hugh Hollis at AB Plant Shipping was also a major help with the shipping logistics.
The fundraising project began when local farmer, Robin Baines, visited Zambia six years ago. The Rotary Club has supported a local hospital in Kitwe since then, and having met Faith two years ago, Mr Baines decided they would be able to make a difference by raising funds for much needed farm machinery for the orphanage. With the help of the Rotary Foundation, who contributed a third of the funds, John Gillespie, former member of the Rotary’s East Anglian district, who also donated a third of the total, and the general support received from Kitwe North Rotary Club, Faith is looking forward to the container’s arrival.
