Friendship Programme
12th Year Supporting Matero
Celebrating its twelfth anniversary this year, the Sandymount Matero Friendship Programme (SMFP) has enabled the Sandymount Community and friends to respond to a humanitarian tragedy in an extremely disadvantaged community in Matero, a suburb of Lusaka, Zambia. Predictably, the greatest victims are mostly orphans and vulnerable children.
From a modest start the Programme, entirely funded by donations from the Sandymount Community, now supports:
A daily feeding programme for 570 primary school children
Teachers salaries
in
Matero Primary School
School books and equipment
Scholarships to assist 25 children to go on to Secondary Education
Over the past 12 years Matero Primary School has evolved from 50-70 pupils being taught in open concrete shelters, to purpose built classrooms accommodating over 600 pupils on a 2 shift basis. All pupils are provided with a wholesome meal each school day which is a major inducement to attend school.
Matero is a very poor part of Lusaka and life there is characterized by:
- Abject poverty and Hunger
- Poor housing and sanitation
- AIDS and other life threatening illnesses
- Low life expectancy
The SMFP initiative is providing education and hope for some very deprived children. However, as the Programme has helped the school grow, soon to surpass 600 pupils, it must now expand its fund raising to sustain its primary objective of maintaining the feeding programme for all the children at the school.
Progress in 2022 - Thanks to the water bore hole, funded by SMFP, we are coping during this pandemic.
Photo Gallery
Matero School 2021
your money monthly
For 2021 we need to raise almost €30,000 to fund the Friendship Programme, including feeding 600 pupils, paying 3 of the teachers, book funding and providing 25 secondary school scholarships.
| In Matero | You can spend | In Sandymount |
| Buys school books for a pupil for a year | €0.50 monthly | Buys 30 mins street parking |
| Feeds a pupil for one month | €4.50 monthly | Buys 2 copies of the Irish Times |
| Funds a secondary school scholarship for a full year | €5.00 monthly | Buys one coffee and a scone |
| Pays one teacher in Matero for a month | €120.00 monthly | Buys dinner for 4 |
Smaller, affordable and sustainable donations
A feeding and educational support Programme, by definition, is a continuous challenge. As such, it would be optimal if financial support could reflect this challenge.
The SMFP is most grateful for all donations. However, smaller, affordable and sustainable donations, typically on a monthly basis, are the backbone to the Programme’s success. They provide reassurance for better planning and reasonable commitments. While often not donors preferred method we would, respectfully, ask if you might consider this approach for Matero.
Thank you sincerely!
how you can help
All funds raised by SMFP are administered and transferred to Zambia by the Jesuit Mission Office in Dublin – CHY Number 19577 and Charities Regulation Number 20076979. The accounts of the Jesuit Mission Office are independently audited annually.
Single Donation
Donate online securely to SMFP via iDonate.ie.
Monthly Donation
Setup a monthly donation to SMFP
Raise Funds
Take a Challenge and raise funds for SMFP