Medical Training, Computers Enhance Education, and Service in Flooded Communities: Service from Latter-day Saints Around the World

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 Côte d’Ivoire, Panama and Vanuatu.

Africa: Doctors Receive Additional Training for Neonatal Health

In collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Côte d’Ivoire Ministry of Health and Universal Health Coverage, over 60 health care professionals in the Haut-Sassandra and Nawa regions of Côte d’Ivoire received free training designed to reduce infant mortality. The “Helping Babies Breathe” classes were held from March 20 to March 30, 2023, and were organized by a medical team from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, led by Dr. Gordon Glad, a pediatric specialist and trainer.

Gnou Tanoh, the coordinating director of the National Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Program at the Ministry of Health and Universal Health Coverage, said, “We would like to express our appreciation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For the past seven years we have been working together to save the children of Côte d’Ivoire.” To learn more about the training, visit Africa Newsroom.

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Pacific: Church Emergency Supply Sheds Aid in Cyclone Recovery

A 40-foot shed on the property of a Port Vila chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ played a key role in emergency response efforts after the cyclones that impacted Vanuatu in March 2023. The shed had been stocked with chain saws, generators, portable water containers, wheelbarrows, ladders, machetes, a 1,000-liter water tank and 650 hygiene kits. Twenty-four similar emergency sheds are maintained throughout the island. The supplies enabled Church members to quickly address emergency situations created by the cyclones.

President Mark Messick of the New Caledonia Vanuatu Mission said, “Everything we wished we had we found stocked in the [shed]. We would say we need tarps or we wish we had garbage bags, and there they were ready to go.”

Learn more about other emergency preparedness efforts of the Church.

Panama: New Computers Donated to Support Students’ Success

On April 3, 2023, over 140 computers were donated to the Ministry of Education to be distributed to schools in Central and Western Panama. The items were delivered by Luis Rojas, a local leader of the Church, to Maruja Gorday de Villalobos, minister of education.

“It is of the utmost importance to strengthen the comprehensive development of children and guarantee access to learning, equalizing opportunities, with accessibility to communication,” said Rojas.

Peru: Church Members Assist Displaced Families After Flood

On April 6, 2023, volunteers from the Castilla de Piura branch of the Church of Jesus Christ helped residents of flooded homes by pumping out water and repairing roofs. The area received heavy rainfall the day before, which displaced multiple families. Clothing and food were also collected and delivered to those in need by members of the Church.

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Pacific: Little Helping Hands Beautify Samoa by Planting Trees

Malololelei now has 300 beautiful trees thanks to children from the Navu Samoa First Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ and their parents and leaders. On March 25, the group collaborated with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Three Million Three Planting Campaign, an initiative to protect the biodiversity of Samoa.

“By planting trees, we are helping the environment and the different animals and birds in the forest,” said 10-year-old Charity Manua. “I felt happy and I loved this activity.”

Canada: Church Members Uplift Others and Support the Special Olympics

Over 700 community volunteers, many from local congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ, supported the 2023 Special Olympic British Columbia Winter Games held in Kamloops from February 2 to 4, 2023. From event setup to photography, volunteers contributed to and captured the spirit of service and the purpose of the Olympic games. “We need one another to lift each other up,” said Kathy Cruz, a volunteer from the Kamloops Second Ward of the Church. “Heavenly Father and Jesus don’t come down to help each person; they send a neighbor, brother, cousin or another person to answer prayers.” Read more about these volunteer experiences on Canada Newsroom.