Anglican Communion News Service - Digest News

A Mothering Sunday ethical giving campaign launched by the Mothers’ Union (MU) is already having a positive impact on the lives of mothers across the developing world and in the UK.

Through their ethical giving catalogue, Make a Mother’s Day, supporters have donated over £90,000 to support and promote family life, far exceeding all expectations. 

The income from the gifts, which include support for mums in prison, provision of community midwives and training of local trainers to bring literacy and health education to communities, will be used to support both disaster relief work and long-term development work carried out by the MU.

‘The response to this, our first ethical giving catalogue, has been tremendous.’ said Reg Bailey, Chief Executive for MU Worldwide. ‘From young children to octogenarians and from across the UK and Ireland gifts have been arriving by the sack-full. We are delighted people have responded to our call for Mothering Sunday to be less a commercial occasion and more about honouring those who care for us by showing commitment to those whose family life needs support.’

Two of the most popular gifts, the anti-malaria treated mosquito nets (£5) and the Essential Aid Kit of food, bedding and cooking utensils (£28) have enabled MU to finance emergency relief for thousands of families in cyclone stricken Mozambique. £15,000 has already been sent to Niassa and Lebombo districts where the cyclone and heavy rains have brought devastation to communities in the northern regions, particularly in the area around Lake Malawi. Here hundreds of homes have collapsed and 1,500 families have been made homeless.

MU volunteer in Mozambique, Helen Van Koevering was thrilled that MU could make the first response in the area. As a result 680 families have already been supplied with mosquito nets, essential in this highly endemic area for malaria, food supplies and chlorine for water purification. Further funding will enable the distribution of essential drugs, roofing plastic, soap and tents in which to house patients. Seed for replanting crops will also be a priority. Two MU workers are being employed full-time to maintain the programme as it is estimated that the water levels will be high until mid-May. The support generated by the Make a Mother’s Day campaign will ensure that MU can help many more families in the year ahead.

Article from: The Mother’s Union

Note to editors:

The Mothers' Union is an international family charity with 3.6 million members dedicated to promoting marriage and family life. It realises that the wellbeing of the family cannot be separated from the welfare of wider communities and therefore undertakes groundbreaking community work in 77 countries. Subjects of recent concern are the MU’s Flexible Families Campaign which advocates the passing of laws to give parents of all children under 18 the right to request flexible working; representation at the UN on the Commission on the Status of Women; and promoting marriage and gender equality in marriage. Other initiatives include training facilitators to organise parenting groups, projects in child contact centres and prisons. Globally, thousands of women and girls have benefited from the MU's Literacy and Development programme.