Children’s Foundation Battles Malnutrition within the LDS Church

“We met little Chantal in the northern mountains of Iloilo Province during our recent work in the Philippines. As soon as I picked her up to put her on the scale, I noticed that her body was weaker and more emaciated than that of the other children we were screening for the Liahona Children’s Foundation that day. When we finished recording Chantal’s weight and height, we told her mother that we were concerned about her daughter’s health. By the look on her mother’s face, we could tell that this was something she already knew. Tears welled up in her eyes as we gave her a high-protein supplement for her daughter.

[pull_quote_right]As soon as I picked her up to put her on the scale, I noticed that her body was weaker and more emaciated than that of the other children.[/pull_quote_right]

Chantal’s lives in the Manoling Ward (Roxas Stake), one of the poorest wards in the Church and yet also one of the most faithful. Unemployment is high and was exacerbated by the typhoon that struck the Philippines in January. The malnutrition rate here (74%) was the highest we recorded during our recent work in the Philippines. Nevertheless, according to the stake president, the percentage of tithing worthy members is nearly 70%, much higher than the average ward in the Church. This is a pattern we find often in our work. Before leaving Manoling, we arranged for nutrition supplements to be provided for all the children we screened there, as we do elsewhere in the world.”

The above is a common experience for Robert Rees, the co-founder and current Vice-President of the Liahona Children’s Foundation (LCF). It’s a grass-roots organization dedicated to nurturing malnourished children so they can lead healthy and productive lives.

Alleviating Malnourished Children

Though not affiliated with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Liahona Children’s Foundation has been working with Church leaders and members over the past six years to alleviate the pains of undernourishment. They estimate that within the Church alone there are over 120,000 malnourished children around the world.

Meridian Magazine features a story today highlighting LCF, and reports that detecting malnourishment can be difficult as a child can look like a healthy toddler, but in reality he or she is a malnourished 5 or 6 year old. LCF identifies children who are malnourished by measuring the height and weight of each child and plotting the data on standard World Health Organization growth charts. As LCF volunteer screeners compare the data and consider each child’s age and gender, the volunteers are able to accurately identify the children that suffer from malnutrition. LCF will then hire a local to act as a coordinator. Coordinators are paid a modest stipend and are in charge of administering the program. Meridian Magazine reports that children who receive supplements are found to make incredible progress in just the matter of a few months. The supplements the children receive from the program are purchased locally and contain products that are calorically dense, like soy milk, as well as contain high volumes of Vitamins A and D.

The issue with malnutrition is that it affects a child’s overall health. The body’s immune system is no longer able to function properly, which leads to an increased chance of getting an infectious disease. Delayed mental development, stunted height, poor school performance, less productivity, and a decrease in brain growth—leading to brain damage—are just a few of the struggles malnourished children are victims of.

Aiding on A Global Scale

Since first starting its program in Ecuador and Guatemala in 2008, LCF has screened and provided supplements to thousands of children in various parts of the world (Ecuador, Guatemala, South Africa, Cambodia, and the Philippines). The foundation hopes to extend its program to include Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the South Pacific, and Haiti in the coming years.

Learn more about the Liahona Children’s Foundation, the different programs they offer, and how you can get involved at liahonachildrensfoundation.org or read Meridian Magazine’s article at LDSmag.com.

Watch the video below to see how LCF is changing lives around the world.