From orphanages to old age homes, graveyards to schools, public spaces, hospitals and even a police station, members, joined by friends, have helped to clean up and beautify their local communities.
So often the aged are forgotten members of our society, but not in Windhoek, Namibia. Members spent time visiting the elderly at the Katutura old age home. They sang hymns, shared spiritual messages and also helped them create Family Pedigree charts, a comforting reminder of the family legacies of which they are an important part. Members provided a lunch which was enjoyed by the residents. (Photos below)
Children are another vulnerable group in Africa. The Kayole 1st ward in Nairobi, Kenya, chose a local children’s home for their service project. They painted walls, washed bedding and clothing, repaired doors and cleaned both indoors and outdoors.
In some places there were unusual Helping Hands projects. For example, in Ethiopia the Megenagna and Beklobet branches joined together to donate blood (photo below on right). Members in the DRC in the Pointe-Noire district also chose to donate blood for their service project (photo below on left), as did members in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Throughout Africa there is always a shortage of blood reserves, so these donations were welcomed by their respective local communities.
And in Cape Town members, joined by a visiting BYU Women’s golf team, worked together with an NGO, Khusela Ikhaya, to paint dwellings in an informal settlement with a fire retardant paint which burns at a slower rate and temperature, thus preventing fires from spreading rapidly and destroying shacks and lives (photo on the right).
Young and old, from Mauritius to Ethiopia, came out in their numbers to contribute thousands of hours of service. They understand the truth of the words of King Benjamin: “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God” (Mosiah 2:17).
Read more about Mormon Helping Hands projects throughout the Africa Southeast Area.