Church of Jesus Christ Gives $44 Million to Global Hunger and Child Malnutrition Relief

As the world continues to face an unprecedented hunger crisis, more than 3 million children will die this year from malnutrition, according to the article. Half of all children globally suffer from essential vitamin and mineral deficiencies, deficits that stunt the growth and potential of the next generation.

Camille N. Johnson, Relief Society General President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said that “no humanitarian effort is more foundational to Christ’s Church than feeding the hungry.” She said the Church was grateful to collaborate with organizations to provide relief to children and young mothers in dire need.

In southern Ethiopia, Belaynesh and her small family were part of a program led by CARE International that feeds people in rural Ethiopia and improves economic status through basic business education. Before joining, the article says, poverty, hunger and malnutrition were the family’s reality. Funding the Church provides to CARE helps women like Belaynesh raise chickens, goats and bees, maintain gardens and improve their children’s diets. Belaynesh said she had noticed her children were strong and had better academic performance, adding that her neighbors could probably testify that her kids were doing well.

CARE USA President and CEO Michelle Nunn said the funding allows the organization to scale up its work in countries including Ethiopia and Ghana. The Church is also giving US$44 million to support the global hunger relief efforts of CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Helen Keller Intl, The Hunger Project and several other organizations. The article notes this is in addition to last year’s donations of $32 million to the World Food Programme and $5 million to UNICEF’s No Time to Waste initiative.

Catholic Relief Services plans to improve the nutritional status of some 165,000 adolescent girls, young mothers and children under age 2 in places including Guatemala, Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Timor-Leste and Zambia. Sean Callahan, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services, said the effort would be transformative for thousands of adolescent girls and young women. Helen Keller Intl is helping women maintain healthy pregnancies and babies have a nutritious start to life in Cambodia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria and Senegal, while The Hunger Project is helping mothers and children from Mexico to Zambia obtain sustainable nutrition and hold community workshops on clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

Blaine R. Maxfield, managing director of the Church’s Welfare and Self-Reliance Services, said the joint efforts will bless nearly 2 million lives in 30 countries. The Church works with organizations that incorporate principles of self-reliance and use evidence-based solutions to address malnutrition during the first 2,000 days of life, from conception to age 5. Feeding the hungry in this way reflects charity toward neighbors (Isaiah 58:7).

Presiding Bishop Gérald Caussé said that providing life-sustaining relief for vulnerable mothers and children is an important part of the Savior’s work. “We are grateful to collaborate with so many others who help alleviate hunger and poverty,” he said. “May God bless them and others whose generous contributions make this possible.”

Source: Read the original report