In a Christ-centered effort to uplift the most vulnerable, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is working with Un Kilo de Ayuda, a leading humanitarian organization in Mexico, to improve the lives of children and families in deeply marginalized communities across the country, reported the Church’s Mexico Newsroom.
Un Kilo de Ayuda — which translates to “a kilo of help” — is giving much more than a kilo.
Through a significant donation from the Church, more than 44,000 people, including children under age 5 and pregnant women facing malnutrition, lack of neurocognitive stimulation and poor parenting practices, living in poverty in seven Mexican states will receive life-changing support. The initiative will operate in the Mexican states of Chiapas, Oaxaca, Mexico, Sinaloa, Nuevo León, Guerrero and Yucatán.
This initiative will be delivered through 10 early childhood development centers run by Un Kilo de Ayuda, a nonprofit with nearly 40 years of experience helping benefit more than 500,000 children and 450,000 caregivers across the country. These centers will serve as hubs for essential services, from nutritional to educational to emotional support.
President Jared Pulido, president of the Oaxaca México Monte Albán Stake, said: “We share Un Kilo de Ayuda’s vision of helping all children achieve holistic development. Therefore, in addition to providing nutritional packages, we will monitor the children’s progress and train their parents and caregivers.”
Early childhood development
The first 1,000 days of life are critical in shaping a child’s physical, cognitive and emotional potential. Without timely intervention, challenges like malnutrition, anemia or lack of stimulation can lead to lifelong setbacks.
This project addresses those risks through:
- 3,600 high-protein nutritional packages to combat hunger.
- Iron supplementation to combat childhood anemia.
- Developmental evaluations to monitor milestones.
- Training caregivers in positive parenting practices.
- Play-based learning environments to support physical and cognitive growth.
- Actions to improve access to safe water.
These services will reach communities through regular visits — every three weeks — by specialists and volunteers connected to the early childhood development centers.
A shared mission
This collaboration is not the first between the Church and Un Kilo de Ayuda. The two organizations have previously worked together in Chiapas, Oaxaca and the State of Mexico, including joint responses to natural disasters like Hurricane Otis and during the Church’s global Light the World service initiative.
Daniela Landaverde, deputy director of institutional relations at Un Kilo de Ayuda, said, “This alliance with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represents much more than collaboration: It is a shared commitment to transforming the lives of children from their first thousand days.”
A gospel of service
At the heart of this collaboration is the belief that every child is a child of God, deserving of nourishment, love and opportunity. As disciples of Jesus Christ, members of the Church strive to follow His example — lifting the hands that hang down, feeding the hungry and blessing families.
In rural villages and urban neighborhoods, this project will help mothers learn how to care for their children’s physical and emotional needs. It will bring food and hope to families without means. It can build up communities, one child, one mother at a time.
Landaverde said: “Thanks to this joint effort, we have trained thousands of caregivers and assessed the development of more than 7,000 children. In 2025, we renew our commitment to continue measuring, improving and building for the future.”
