Catholic Relief Services

In Nigeria, conflict in the Benue State has left families displaced from their homes, seeking safety in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps. Working together with the Foundation for Justice, Development, and Peace, a new solar-powered borehole, modern toilets, and solar security lights have been built to improve the lives and safety of the families staying in these camps.   The solar-powered lights bring safety to the camps, illuminating the dark. Modern toilets ensure good hygiene, protect families from disease, and foster a sense of dignity. And the borehole ensures clean water. These efforts not only offer basic necessities but a renewed sense of hope and security.

The Lake Tanganyika basin supports over 10 million people across five African countries. However, Tanzania and Zambia face challenges in managing waste, pollution and declining fish populations. Public health concerns also arise from sewage dumping and industrial pollutants. Despite existing legislation, enforcement is limited, especially around plastic use. Underemployment, particularly among youth and women, remains an issue due to insufficiently developed market systems. The Vitalizing Opportunities in Circular Economy and Sustainable Solutions (VOICES) project aims to enhance knowledge and test circular economic practices to conserve resources, reduce waste, and lower energy consumption through recycling, reuse, and remanufacturing. It is expected to directly benefit 119,160 people living along the shores of Lake Tanganyika, while over 2,000,000 people are expected to benefit from the project indirectly, with a special focus on youth and women. Read more ⬇️.

10-year-old Farid Dagnon is a student in Benin. He’s one of more than 55,000 students in 167 schools that receive a quality education and hot, daily meals thanks to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)'s McGovern Dole Food for Education program. Farid’s father says, “Before, Farid would always come home from school and complain how hungry he is. Now, he still eats his breakfast at home, but at noon, he takes his lunch meal at school from the canteen. This greatly reduces the burden on our family to provide food. Farid has also improved at school, because now he is no longer hungry in the afternoon and can focus on his studies.”

Thanks to the support from the Bainum Family Foundation, we are improving the quality of daycare services for young children in Lesotho through holistic engagement with daycare providers, government ministries and parents. To support children's nutrition, daycare providers and parents learned about infant and young child feeding practices, established gardens at the daycare centers, and followed weekly menus to ensure children received balanced nutrition. Read more ⬇️. #WorldFoodDay 

Students worldwide are forced to skip lunch every day because their families can’t afford it, and their homes are too far for a midday return. This lack of nourishment makes it difficult for them to focus in class, leading to poor attendance or even dropping out. More than 655,000 primary school students in Benin receive a daily free and nutritious lunch thanks to USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS)'s McGovern Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition program. This program addresses hunger and improves education by building teachers’ skills, enhancing student literacy, and promoting healthy sanitation practices. As a result, students are happier, healthier, and performing better academically.

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From October 8-10, Catholic sisters from Ghana, Kenya, and Zambia gathered in Ghana to discuss their shared vision for enhancing human development. Their focus areas included youth empowerment, early childhood development, and combating human trafficking. This convening was a powerful platform for these dedicated religious women to exchange achievements and strategize future advocacy efforts. Highlights included the official launch and dissemination of comprehensive reports on these critical issues, outlining the sisters’ priorities for driving meaningful social change. Funding for this work was provided by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Read the attached report for more. ⬇️

As #HispanicHeritageMonth comes to a close, we celebrate with the reminder that “Our Faith Inspires Us” and extend a special blessing to you and your family, accompanied by an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Download the prayer here: https://bit.ly/4escLNF

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#MondayMotivation from author C.S. Lewis.