Mothers' Union Gifts Change Lives of Mothers in Developing World

The Mothering Sunday ethical giving campaign launched by the Mothers' Union (MU) is changing the lives of mothers across the developing world and in the UK by raising more than £90,000 to date.

Gifts in the MU's ethical giving catalogue, Make a Mother's Day, include support for mums in prison, provision of community midwives and training of local trainers to bring literacy and health education to communities.

The proceeds of the catalogue will support and promote family life, as well as disaster relief work and long-term development work carried out by the MU.

"The response to this, our first ethical giving catalogue, has been tremendous," said Reg Bailey, Chief Executive for MU Worldwide. "From young children to octogenarians and from across the UK and Ireland gifts have been arriving by the sack full."

The Mothers' Union has also campaigned extensively for Mothering Sunday to be less commercial.

"We are delighted people have responded to our call for Mothering Sunday to be less a commercial occasion and more about honouring those who care for us by showing commitment to those whose family life needs support," said Mr Bailey.

Two of the most popular gifts, the anti-malaria treated mosquito nets (£5) and the Essential Aid Kit of food, bedding and cooking utensils (£28) have enabled MU to finance emergency relief for thousands of families in cyclone stricken Mozambique.

£15,000 has already been sent to Niassa and Lebombo districts where the cyclone and heavy rains have brought devastation to communities in the northern regions, particularly in the area around Lake Malawi. Here hundreds of homes have collapsed and 1,500 families have been made homeless.

MU volunteer in Mozambique, Helen Van Koevering was thrilled that MU could make the first response in the area. As a result 680 families have already been supplied with mosquito nets, essential in this highly endemic area for malaria, food supplies and chlorine for water purification.

Further funding will enable the distribution of essential drugs, roofing plastic, soap and tents in which to house patients. Seed for replanting crops will also be a priority.

Two MU workers are being employed full-time to maintain the programme as it is estimated that the water levels will be high until mid-May.

The MU will use further proceeds from the Make a Mother's Day campaign to support many more families in the year ahead.