The Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints leads a global effort to care for women and children. This is done by prioritizing the welfare of women and children through maternal and newborn care, child nutrition, immunization and education.
And the Church strives to care for those in need in areas such as transportation, safe water and sanitation, and health care.
Below are recent examples of such efforts taking place around the world.
Supporting children in Uzbekistan
A rural school in a remote part of Uzbekistan is working to improve the health of children by replacing toilets.
The project, which was completed in October 2025, was a collaboration between the Uzbek government and the church. In school number 11, located in the Bostanlik district of the Tashkent region, old toilets were replaced with new ones and a new extensive drainage system was installed, based on technology copied in the United States.
Delegates traveled to Utah and Idaho to tour the system earlier this year. They decided it would also be effective in their rural areas, the church’s European newsroom reported. The wastewater is now filtered and safely absorbed into the ground.
At a recent ribbon-cutting ceremony, Elder Jack N. Gerard, a General Authority Seventy and First Counselor in the European Central Area Presidency, told the children: “Your leaders have been extraordinary in finding ways to focus on you as the new generation and future leaders of Uzbekistan.”
“These kids are so much fun,” he added. “Their parents, schools and government authorities are doing their best to protect their future health and well-being.”
New systems are inexpensive, operate without electricity, and require little maintenance. Government leaders therefore hope the initiative will be expanded across the country, with similar projects currently underway in two more area schools.
Relief Society serves infants in Bolivia
San Juan de Dios Regional Hospital in Tarija, Bolivia recognized the Relief Society of the Bolivia Tarija Stake for contributions and donations to the neonatal intensive care unit.
At a Nov. 17 ceremony, the society recognized the Relief Society for its service and declared it the “Neonatology Companion of Tarija,” the church’s Spanish-language newsroom reported.
Last year, stake Relief Society women distributed more than 20 hand-knitted neonatal therapy tacos, more than 90 baby sweaters and sleeping bags, 60 packs of diapers, and 44 handmade blankets, among other blankets and supplies.
At the ceremony, stake Relief Society President Lenore Recchi de Rivera quoted Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson: “When we bless women, we bless our families, our communities, and our nations. When we bless our children, we invest in our future.”
This work is very personal to Leckie and close to her heart. Her third daughter was born prematurely and faced health complications that required long hospital stays. She said the experience strengthened her commitment to families going through similar situations.
Pregnant women receive better care in Ghana
A pregnant woman in Kupong, Ghana, who once had to travel an hour to receive quality maternity care, now has an option closer to home thanks to donations and commitment from The Church of Jesus Christ and Ensign Global University in Ghana.
The Pong Health Center was housed in a 100-year-old building, small, dilapidated, and poorly equipped. Ensign Global University funded the construction of the new building, and church donations filled it with equipment, technology, and supplies.
The official handover ceremony was held on November 12, 2025. The ceremony was attended by representatives of parliament and local traditional leaders, including Queen Mother Kupon, the church’s Africa Newsroom reported.
The event was presided over by President Stephen Manoti, Chairman of the Church’s Kpong Ghana District and Head of Academic Programs at Ensign Global University.
He explained that the church’s mission is “to draw people to Christ and this is one of the ways we serve the community to achieve that purpose,” and thanked the health workers for their efforts, saying, “We pray that these items will serve their intended purpose in providing good quality health care to the people of Kpong and the surrounding areas.”
Mobility aid in the Pacific
On Nauru Island, in the Church’s Pacific region, the Office of Disability Living recently received a donation of mobility aids from the Church.
The donation included:
106 wheelchairs of various sizes and models 54 four-wheel walkers 7 strollers
The handover ceremony was held on October 20, 2025 at the DPWD facility. A church team traveled to Nauru to help assemble and distribute the equipment, as well as train local staff on proper installation and maintenance, the church’s Pacific Newsroom reported.
Throughout the week, 36 individuals were physically measured and fitted with new mobility aids. Many of the recipients were elderly, amputees, or people living with disabilities such as cerebral palsy.
