More than 1,200 children will benefit as part of a long-term process that seeks to improve the nutrition and feeding of the migrant population in La Guajira. To help alleviate hunger in this area, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donated US$300,000 to the World Food Programme in Colombia. This donation will provide more than 218,700 meals to 1,215 children who do not have access to a school feeding program.
A collaborative event took place on February 14 in Bogotá and was attended by Ernesto González, deputy director of the World Food Programme for Colombia, and other officials of the institution. Elder Yan Carlos Vega, a regional Church leader, was also there.
“With this donation, the most important thing for us is that we support the school feeding program in La Guajira and we are going to bring Colombian and migrant children to the cafeterias in schools,” Ernesto González said.
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He also recalled the importance of fighting hunger in situations of emergency and vulnerability. “With this current donation, we will support migrant children and adolescents so they can access school feeding programs in La Guajira. It is very significant that we are pooling our efforts together to address this issue. It is an honor for the WFP to receive the donation from the Church, especially considering the significance it holds and the trust you are placing in us for the execution of these resources.”
González also highlighted the importance of investing in children and their nutrition. This will enable them to progress in their education and, in turn, make transformative contributions to society.
Elder Yan Carlos Vega, representative of the Church of Jesus Christ, shared, “It has been something very special to join together with friends of the WFP to make a donation in the name of the Church. We are united to alleviate hunger in all its forms, not only in Colombia but in the world as well. Jesus Christ taught us that we must do good to others, alleviate world problems in every sense — including hunger — in all its forms.”
The Church and WFP have collaborated for 10 years. The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest food assistance humanitarian organization, helping migrants receive nutritious food during great need. In the past, the Church of Jesus Christ has contributed to this organization by providing food for nearly 7,500 migrant children and adolescents in La Guajira, Santa Marta, Valledupar and Cúcuta.
The Church of Jesus Christ has humanitarian projects in 190 countries and territories. In Colombia, the five main programs help the vulnerable population in the short and mid-term. See this page for more information about the World Food Programme in Colombia.