Posted on: 19th March 2025

Mary’s Meals Emergency in Southern Africa appeal is coming to an end.

Drought and flooding have devastated the land in Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, and families have little to no food to put on the table. Our nutritious school meals are bringing vital relief, and hope, to 1.5 million children in the region and their families. But there is more we can do, with your support.

Our appeal will end in the next few days. We want to reach many thousands more hungry children in Southern Africa who are waiting for Mary’s Meals. If you can, please donate today

“There’s no harvest”

Gerson attends Tindzawene Primary School in Mozambique, where he eats Mary’s Meals. One of the poorest countries in the world, Mozambique is also facing devastating impacts of the worst drought in Southern Africa in 100 years. Now, the country is experiencing extreme weather, such as the recent Cyclone Jude, which has caused flooding of the parched ground and loss of life.

Gerson’s Mum, Egnecia, says “Life is hard in our community. There are many challenges. There’s no harvest. Children are starving.”

For Gerson, school is his ‘happy place’, where he can study his favourite subject, Portuguese, and play football with his friends. He tells us: “Before the school feeding programme, I felt powerless. I was not motivated to study but now I am. The meals stop the hunger.”

Egnecia says Mary’s Meals has brought vital relief to their community: “Sometimes we don’t have enough food but we’re relieved because pupils have lunch at school”.

Matching your kindness

We need your help to bring more children, like Gerson, back from the brink of desperation. It costs just 10p a day to feed a child with Mary’s Meals so any donation, no matter the size, will make a difference.

And, thanks to a generous donor, until 24 March, if you choose to set up a new regular gift towards our emergency appeal, your gift will be tripled for the first three payments.

For more information about our work, please visit https://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

Find out more about how to become a Mary’s Meals church representative or request a talk from Mary’s Meals at your parish, please contact fran.lawson@marysmeals.org

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PRAYERS.