MormonNewsroom.org features stories from its 80 international Newsroom websites as well as those from around the United States to share what members and leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints around the world are doing to better the communities in which they live.
Japan: Mormon Helping Hands Assist in Flood Cleanup
Record rain struck parts of western and central Japan recently, forcing the evacuation of many residents. Local leaders of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said their hearts ache for those who lost their lives or property or who were injured due to the flooding and landslides in the area.
Missionaries and Latter-day Saints in Okayama City Higashi-ku began helping to clean-up the flooded homes and apartments. The Church’s Welfare Services is working with local leaders and disaster assistance organizations to identify needs and coordinate donations and voluntary support.
Get additional information on the Japan Mormon Newsroom website (Japanese).
Nigeria: Church Milestone Reached in West Africa
The Lagos Nigeria Ojodu Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was recently the 100th stake created in West Africa. A stake is composed of 10 to 12 congregations in a geographical area. The first stake in the area was created 30 years ago, in 1988.
The creation of the 100th stake was the climax of a monthlong series of activities celebrating the 40th anniversary of the historic revelation on the priesthood in 1978, which made the priesthood available to all worthy males. It also led to the formal organization of the Church in West Africa in the same year.
Read more about this historic occasion on the Nigeria Mormon Newsroom website.
Kenya: Latter-day Saints Help Solai Flood Victims
The Solai Dam near Nakuru, Kenya, collapsed last April, destroying more than 200 homes and causing death and injury. The dam failed during the night due to high rain runoff.
Mormon Helping Hands have been helping victims recover from the surprise disaster by distributing food, blankets and clothing. Approximately 900 iron sheets for roofs for new homes came from LDS Charities, the humanitarian arm of the Church. Victims were housed for a time at Solai High School.
Get more details from the Kenya Mormon Newsroom website.
Pacific: Catholic College Receives Latter-day Saint Donations
Earlier this year, some of the Pacific islands suffered significant damage from Cyclone Gita. Among those impacted were students whose schools were damaged. The Takuilau College of the Catholic Church in Tonga was one of the schools damaged by the cyclone.
In response to the damage and loss, LDS Charities partnered with Furniture for Schools Charitable Trust to donate to the college’s library, including shelving, library books, text books, atlases and 50 desks and chairs.
The Pacific Mormon Newsroom website has additional information on the story.
India: Women of the Church’s Relief Society Assemble Hygiene Kits
Relief Society women in India are coming to the aid of other women who are in need of hygiene supplies. The Church’s Relief Society is one of the oldest and largest women’s service organizations in the world, with 7.1 million members.
LDS Charities, in collaboration with Enactus College in Mumbai; Impact India, an NGO also in Mumbai; and an American group, Chahal Foundation, have donated sewing machines, ancillary equipment and cloth to a women’s center in the village of Wada, located in the state of Maharashtra. Volunteers have also taught the women at the center needed organizational skills. The project is providing girls and women with needed supplies and an opportunity for a job.
Go to the India Mormon Newsroom website to learn more about what all the organizations are doing.
Pacific: Kiribati Man Gives Service, Gets an Education and Starts a Food-Growing Charity
Latter-day Saint Eritai Kateibwi from the remote Pacific island of Kiribati is succeeding in life. He served a mission for the Church, graduated from one of the faith’s schools, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, and organized a food charity called Te Maeu.
The charity is a food sustainability program that uses portable, self-contained hydroponic gardens (a method of growing plants without soil using mineral nutrients in a water solution). While on his mission in Honolulu, Hawaii, Kateibwi found the service he performed not only helped people but also brought joy and fulfillment to his own life.
Go to the Pacific Mormon Newsroom website to read more about his life of service.
Jamaica: The Family Proclamation Presented at National Meeting
Representatives of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Jamaica recently presented the faith’s declaration on the importance of the family. In 1995, the worldwide faith announced “The Family: A Proclamation to the World.”
The setting for the presentation was the second annual Family Expo and Special Needs Resource Fair, held at the Hope Botanical Gardens in Kingston, Jamaica. The event included presentations and exhibits from various agencies, health screenings, a concert and games and rides for the hundreds of participants, including children with special needs.
Read more about the event and the family proclamation on the Jamaica Mormon Newsroom website.