Expanding its global initiative to improve maternal and child health worldwide, the Relief Society general presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a new combined donation of $55.8 million to help in this work.
Through this funding, the Church will collaborate with eight international nonprofit organizations to strengthen health and nutrition programs in 12 high-need countries.
The organizations are CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Helen Keller Intl, iDE, Map International, Save the Children, The Hunger Project and Vitamin Angels.
These efforts aim to reach 12 million children under age 5 and 2.7 million expectant and new mothers in Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Nepal, Nigeria, Philippines, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Zambia.
The funds will support evidence-based public health interventions, including treating and preventing malnutrition in women, infants and young children; providing maternal mental health care; strengthening food systems and health systems; improving access to nutrition; and other efforts focusing on the health and well-being of women and children.
Global progress starts with nourishing children and strengthening women, Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson said. “When you bless a woman, you bless a family, a community, a nation. When you bless a child, you invest in the future.”
In a news release on ChurchofJesusChrist.org announcing the donation on Wednesday, June 12, President Johnson said when it comes to collaborating and implementing global programs to improve maternal and child health, each of the organizations has “an exceptional track record.”
She continued: “Our goal is to help them scale their work and bring women and children the much-needed health and nutrition services they need. We are confident in their abilities and their proven results around the world.”
The Hunger Project President and CEO Tim Prewitt said his organization is honored to be a part of this effort and looks forward to working with partner organizations and local leaders to bless mothers, children and their communities.
“Working collaboratively like this allows us to have a much broader impact that will lead to the systems strengthening needed to benefit communities,” Prewitt said.
And Sarah Bouchie, the CEO of Helen Keller Intl, said this investment will help communities create lasting change so that every child has the opportunity to grow up healthy.
“Scaling up cost-effective, proven nutrition services is essential to transforming the lives of mothers and children globally,” Bouchie said. “We are grateful for the extraordinary investment in nutrition from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.”
The need to help women and children
Citing international data and studies, the Church’s news release explained that more than 3 billion people globally cannot afford healthy food and are at risk for malnutrition — and the most nutritionally vulnerable populations are pregnant women, infants and young children.
More than one-third of pregnant women globally have anemia. About 148 million children younger than 5 are stunted, when their height is too short for their age, and 45 million are affected by wasting, when their weight is too low for their height.
The new combined donation of $55.8 million is part of the Relief Society’s global, multiyear initiative to bless women and children and the Church’s ongoing efforts to promote nutrition.
In August 2023, the Church announced donations of $44 million to charitable organizations to support their nutritional work in 30 countries. And in September 2022, the Church gave $32 million to the World Food Programme to provide emergency food aid in nine countries. Other donations to nonprofit organizations over years have aimed to improve nutrition globally.
The Relief Society is also leading an effort to help members of the Church in many areas around the world receive support, get connected to community resources and learn about proper nutrition for their children — especially those under age 5. Local Church leaders and ministering brothers and sisters are a key part of the health improvement efforts, through screenings at Church buildings and home visits.
Relief Society general presidency sees collaborative efforts
While on a ministry assignment to the Church’s Central America Area in May and June, President Johnson observed some of the work being done to help women and children. She said mothers around the world share a common desire to feed their children.
“Mothers are at the center of homes around the world. When they are healthy and can provide nutritious food for their children, communities thrive and nations prosper,” President Johnson said.
From Panama City, Panama, she filmed a video to announce the donation — and spoke about how local Relief Society members bring together their local communities to help meet local needs.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strives to care for those in need through humanitarian efforts with the greatest possible impact. “Often, the best humanitarian outreach is to those closest to us in everyday acts of kindness,” President Johnson said.
Sister J. Anette Dennis, first counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, spoke at a meeting last week in Accra, Ghana, where representatives of the eight nonprofit organizations met to enhance their collaborative effort. They will share a progress update in early 2025.
“We hope that what we are doing together will become a powerful model for others in being able to expand and accelerate efforts to bless the lives of vulnerable women and children,” Sister Dennis told the group.
Sister Dennis said it was exciting and inspiring to see how hard everyone was working at the gathering.
The Church’s efforts are both global focused and member focused. While in Guadalajara, Mexico, last week, Sister Kristin M. Yee, second counselor in the Relief Society general presidency, saw how local Relief Society sisters are taking care of those in their own homes, neighborhoods and communities through their own talents and strengths.
“When we see a need, we step in and bring people together to help solve problems and to meet needs within our own spheres of influence,” Sister Yee said. “We bring the love and relief of Jesus Christ to all of God’s children.”
Those who would like to learn how they can participate can visit Caring.ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
