Recent efforts by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brazil sought to improve self-reliance, healthcare and dignity for people in need.
The Church’s Autossuficiência Brasil website reported on various donations to hospitals and institutions in the country as well as an education day to build self-reliance. Beneficiaries said the donations and efforts are already making a difference.
Below see examples in the states of Paraíba, Ceará and São Paulo.
Solar energy in Paraíba
A solar energy project at the Napoleão Laureano Hospital in João Pessoa funded by the Church will strengthen cancer care in the state of Paraíba.
The Napoleão Laureano Hospital is one of the leading oncology centers in Paraíba. The initiative will help reduce the institution’s operational costs, allowing more funds to be directed towards caring for and treating people facing cancer.
A July 27 article on Autossuficiência Brasil said the first stage of the project was celebrated in a ceremony held at the hospital with representatives from the Napoleão Laureano Foundation, healthcare professionals, local authorities and Church leaders.
As part of the program, a commemorative plaque was unveiled marking the completion of the first phase of the project and celebrating the collaboration between the Napoleão Laureano Foundation and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Hospital equipment in Ceará
The Church donated hospital equipment to the Dr. José Frota Institute (IJF) in Fortaleza, in the state of Ceará. The donation included two mobile X-ray machines, 227 hospital armchairs and 393 chairs for companions or family members. The x-ray machines will strengthen the institution’s diagnostic imaging, and the chairs will provide better conditions for the families of hospitalized patients.
A July 21 article on Autossuficiência Brasil’s website said a handover ceremony for the equipment included representatives of the institution, local authorities and Church leaders.
During the ceremony, Dr. Raquel Pessoa de Carvalho, coordinator of the IJF’s Center for Studies and Research, explained how the institute had needed the X-ray machine and highlighted the impact of the initiative on the hospital’s daily operations.
“We can only thank the Church,” she said. “You’ve made a difference in the quality of care provided to trauma patients and, above all, in alleviating the suffering of their caregivers, who were already stressed by the accident and had nowhere to stay.”
She added that until recently, many caregivers faced long hours of waiting and even entire nights using inadequate chairs or improvising places to rest. The new armchairs and chairs allow hundreds of families now to have a more welcoming, comfortable and humane environment during one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Education day in Ceará
On June 27, the Fortaleza and Sobral stakes in Ceará held “Education Day,” an initiative to encourage educational and professional development and self-reliance.
This was part of the stakes’ efforts to strengthen Church members and the community through resources focused on education, employability, entrepreneurship, finance and emotional health. The goal is to help individuals and families develop greater self-reliance and expand their opportunities for personal and professional growth.
More than 3,400 participants were present in the two cities. Lectures and panels allowed the public to learn about educational institutions and various training opportunities. Participants also learned about multiple job openings, career guidance, support in preparing for selection processes and referrals to job opportunities.
Hundreds of volunteers helped make the initiative successful, explained the article from Autossuficiencia Brasil.
Van for rehabilitation services in São Paulo
Members of the community with disabilities in São Paulo are benefiting from an adapted van donated by the Church to the Wings for Angels Institute (IAPA) in Guaratinguetá, São Paulo. The van was officially donated in November 2025 and allows the IAPA to safely transport people with disabilities to the health, education and social assistance services offered by the institution.
The handover brought together local Church leadership, public officials and volunteers in a ceremony celebrating the donation and partnership.
IAPA is a non-profit organization that works to promote inclusion, autonomy and quality of life for people in vulnerable situations. With the adapted vehicle, the institute is now able to transport people living farther away to their appointments, reducing absences and improving continuity of care.
The Autossuficiencia Brasil article said with the transportation barrier overcome, the institute is seeing a difference in people’s lives.
