Newsroom features stories from its dozens of websites around the world to show what members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are doing to serve their communities. Today, we feature news from Ghana, Fiji, Cambodia, Tonga, Canada and the Philippines.
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| Temple Square is always beautiful in the springtime. Gardeners work to prepare the ground for General Conference. © 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1 / 2 |
Ghana: Life-Saving Project Launched
With funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Project HOPE-MCH (Holistic Opportunities for Positive Engagement in Maternal and Child Health) launched in Accra, Ghana, on August 21, 2024.
This project is a collaborative effort between multiple charitable organizations and various governmental agencies with the aim to improve the health, safety and well-being of pregnant women, mothers and children in Ghana who often lack access to live-saving resources.
The project is predicted to benefit 16,433 women and 12,173 children under age three, train 835 community health workers and equip 105 health facilities.
You can read more about the project here.
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A plaque placed at Ratu Kadavulevu School on 12 September 2024, commemorating the commissioned repairs to the dormitories that had been damaged by fire.Fiji: Dormitories Destroyed by Fire Rebuilt
In Lodoni, Fiji, the Church of Jesus Christ worked with the Ministry of Education to rebuild dormitories damaged by a fire at one of the oldest and largest boarding schools in Fiji, Ratu Kadavulevu School.
Elder Taniela B. Wakolo of the Pacific Area Presidency attended the school 45 years ago and personally knew the difference this would make. “The impact of this project is multigenerational, as renovations will benefit 280 students annually, providing a safer, healthier and more comfortable living environment that supports their learning,” he said.
The Church of Jesus Christ also donated sporting equipment to the community. Read more here.
Cambodia: Hospitals Fully Trained on Laparoscopic Surgery
Before 2022, Cambodia had limited training and almost no equipment to perform laparoscopic surgery for its millions of people. Starting two years ago, the Church of Jesus Christ helped fund laparoscopic training, provided by University of Utah medical experts, for Cambodian surgeons and nurses. The goal has been for Cambodian hospitals to become self-sufficient in laparoscopic procedures and education.
July 2024 marked a momentous turning point: Hospitals became fully trained and self-reliant, now able to offer laparoscopic training on their own and spread their knowledge to doctors around the country.
You can read more about this medical achievement for Cambodia here.
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Cambodia medical personnel learn more about laparoscopic surgery from each other after achieving self-reliance in this type of medical training. The training session was held in late July 2024 in Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia after medical experts from the United States facilitated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brought in the training starting in 2022.Tonga: New Nurseries Support Communities
Two new seedling nurseries in Tonga were constructed thanks to funding from the Church of Jesus Christ, and a handover ceremony was held on September 3, 2024.
About 88% of the Tongan population is dependent on agriculture and gardens.
Seini Ela Vaipulu, acting head of the Women Development Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests, said, “This may look small, but it is not a little thing. This is our grassroots effort to give the people access to safe, healthy food.”
You can read more on the nurseries here.
Philippines: Church Donates Educational Supplies
As part of the ongoing commitment to support quality education in the Philippines, many chairs, tables, smart TVs, whiteboards, and other learning materials were donated to the Tanza National Comprehensive High School (TNCHS) on September 6, 2024. TNCHS is a public high school in Cavite, Philippines, and serves over 11,000 students.
TNCHS Principal Dr. Florencio C. Costa was filled with gratitude. “Your generosity means everything to us. The majority of our students come from low-income households, so these donations will truly make a difference,” he said.
Read more about the donation here.
Canada: JustServe Helps with Indigenous Games
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Jacob Moroni Crowfoot Hendy participates in basketball at the Alberta Indigenous Games in Edmonton, Alberta, in August 2024. He said, “The Alberta Indigenous Games mean a lot to me because I can play basketball with kids from my tribe, and it is cool to have that opportunity.”The Edmonton JustServe Council (EJSC) became the official volunteers for the 10th annual Alberta Indigenous Games (AIG), providing necessary aid for the event, which was held in Edmonton, Alberta, in August. AIG is Canada’s largest annual summer games and is an opportunity for young Indigenous athletes from across the country to compete in a variety of events. This year the event had more than 6,000 participants.
“Volunteerism is a vehicle to bring us to each other,” said Sarah Mosaico, the North and Central Alberta JustServe specialist. “For example, members of the EJSC come from many different backgrounds. Some council members were newcomers to Canada and had never interacted with Indigenous culture before the event. They felt so excited and honoured to learn more about the Indigenous Summer Games and show their support.”
Read more about JustServe’s efforts here.