News Story

One Hundred Thousand Africans Find Joy in Continent-Wide “Mormon Helping Hands” Project

Every week, somewhere around the world, members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints participate in some form of humanitarian service — whether responding in times of disaster or preparing their communities in times of peace.

Last week, over 100,000 Mormons across Africa worked together in a continent-wide “Mormon Helping Hands” project to clean up their communities.

The photo essay on today’s Newsroom highlights service work in Accra in the west to Nairobi in the east and Johannesburg to the south.

Church members worked with local government leaders to select projects that would be most beneficial to the community. Storm drains on busy streets were cleaned out, hospitals received a fresh coat of paint and public areas were spruced with flowers and grass.

Charles Adebayo, a Church member in Nigeria, felt so glad to be a part of this project. “We find real happiness when we think outside of ourselves. That is true joy.”

Despite the quarter-million members in Africa, the Church is still not well known there, according to Adesina Olukani, Church spokesman in Africa.

“Perhaps some of the mystery about our faith will now go away,” he said.

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