The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has recently donated greenhouses, playgrounds, water tanks and other resources to help meet the needs of members and nonmembers alike in the Federated States of Micronesia. These donations have brought relief and aid to the thousands of Micronesians affected.
The Church also donated two vans to the Todu Guam Foundation in Guam to aid the nonprofit organization in administering health care products to locals.
Kosrae
Growing plants and vegetables in the state of Kosrae has never been easy — 300-plus inches of annual rainfall oversaturates the soil, making gardening nearly impossible.
“Many people live in locations where there is no topsoil, or on filled land, or beachside, having coral, sand and rocks around their houses,” explained Nora Sigrah of the Lelu Farmer’s Association.
In recent years, the Church has partnered with the LFA and other nonprofit organizations to overcome this problem. With the help of several Church donations, Kosrae has recently built open-air greenhouses. Constructed of wooden frames and covered in plastic, the greenhouses protect seedlings so that they can sprout.
The LFA also supplies island-friendly seeds, seedlings and other necessary supplies such as trellises, mulch and fertilizer to be used with the greenhouses.
“The greenhouses provide families the ability to grow vegetables for their dinner table and to share, especially in areas where the soil is not suitable for growing vegetables,” explained Sigrah.
Pohnpei
Months ago, Irene Etse, a parent of two Palikir Early Childhood Education Center students and a member of the Church, approached Bill Davis, the Church’s representative for humanitarian outreach efforts in Micronesia. She asked if there was a way for the children at the Palikir ECE Center in the state of Pohnpei to receive playground equipment from the Church.
Davis immediately applied for donations, and the Church granted the request. The playground equipment was delivered and installed in September.
A ceremony was held to celebrate the donation of a large climb-up play center consisting of a variety of slides, climbing bars, saucer swings and a trampoline with safety nets on Friday, Sept. 27. Also donated were a desk-top computer, a printer, some fans and a child-friendly toilet.
“This will make the kids healthy, and kids learn better and more efficiently,” said Stanley Etse, director of Pohnpei Department of Education.
The ceremony concluded with remarks by Wagner David from the Pohnpei ECE Office. “Whatever you ask in the name of Jesus Christ you will receive,” he said, expressing his belief that the donation was a gift from God.
Chuuk
Romanum Elementary School, located in the state of Chuuk, has been one of the main providers of education to children in the state for decades. The school has long struggled with finding sufficient funding and resources for the children.
In order to combat these setbacks, the Church recently aided in renovations to an outbuilding at the school, which is now used as a food service area during lunchtime. The Church donated the materials, and local Church and community members volunteered labor.
The Church was also crucial in installing a 1,500-gallon water retention tank to collect and store rainwater to then be used by the school.
Across the 16 volcanic islands of Chuuk, thousands of women have been impacted by the Chuuk Women’s Organization. This organization is devoted to blessing and empowering the lives of women.
The Church, an observant in the recent good deeds of the CWO, recently made several contributions to help the organization fulfill their purpose. Among its contributions, the Church donated 125 wheelchairs, several pairs of reading glasses and equipment to set up a Zumba class.
Helping and encouraging women in Chuuk to be more physically active has been a central goal of the CWC. Recently, the CWC sponsored a walk-a-thon titled “10,000 Steps for Health,” in which many in the community participated. To help in this effort, the Church contributed pedometers so that walking woman could count steps and measure their distance in meeting daily exercise goals.
“We want to help people to be more healthy and to get out and walk,” said Lidy Jane S. Aler, who assists her mother in directing the affairs of the CWC.
Guam
In 2016, Dennis Rodriguez and his wife, Lena Calvo Rodriguez, co-founded the Todu Guam Foundation with the dream of providing basic health care services to those in need.
Their first free clinic was held in July 2016 and was even more successful than they anticipated — over 30 volunteers showed up to help over 100 people receive consultations, immunizations and other services. After continuous growth, the nonprofit NGO Todu Guam Foundation was formally organized in 2017.
“Part of our mission is to help those with mobility and transportation issues get the health care services that they need,” said Dennis Rodriguez, co-founder of the Todu Guam Foundation.
The Church recognized the impact of the organization and donated two vans to the nonprofit NGO. The larger van will be used as a sanitary mobile clinic for patients who are homebound, while the smaller van will provide transportation to health care appointments for those with limited transportation options.
On Oct. 10, in a ceremony at the Todu Guam Foundation, officers and directors of the nonprofit NGO thanked representatives of the Church for their donation.
“We look forward to working more with you in the future,” said Bill Davis, representing the Church at the ceremony. “We truly believe in the work that you are doing in the community. We offer our continued support in the future. We want to help people who are less privileged.”
