From French Polynesia to New Zealand, many humanitarian projects have been taking place these last few months in the Pacific. An article on Church News recently highlighted some of these acts of service.
In 2020, Latter-day Saint Charities “donated computers equipped with text-to-speech software to the Mata Hotu Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired of French Polynesia, which trains the blind and visually impaired how to use a computer,” Church News reported. This year, representatives of Latter-day Saint Charities were invited to see how those computers have made a difference to the 50 people who are members of the association.
Pacific Newsroom explained that “text-to-speech computer is more complex and requires patience and ingenuity to make the keyboard and navigation accessible.” Elder Frederic Riemer, a representative of the Church at the meeting, shared some of his takeaways.
“When I see people who don't have eyesight and are so brave and want to improve their situation, it really is a lesson for all of us not to give up. We need to continue to reach out to those in need. This is what the Lord expects from us."
In Auckland, New Zealand, Church employees and missionaries also presented 200 pairs of new pajamas and underwear to a local charity called Foster Hope. There are currently over 6,000 children in foster care in the country.
The chairperson of the charity told Pacific Newsroom that many children have not had a brand new pair of pajamas of their own, and “knowing that someone has shopped especially for them is a huge boost to their self-esteem.” She also stated that “anything we can do to help them feel loved and valued is a huge part of what we do.”
Learn more about these and other humanitarian efforts at Church News.
