Rotary Corner: ​How the Smile International feeding programme is making a difference

Have we got enough Brussels sprouts, carrots, cranberry sauce and chocolates etc.

For more than two decades, the local Bourne-based Christian family charity Smile International has been feeding and educating thousands of hungry and malnourished children in Africa. In fact the acronym for the main programmes is F.E.E.D. - Feeding, Educating, Empowering and Developing.

The difference a meal makes is incredible and when you don’t know when your next meal will be, life is just that much more challenging!

Smile’s feeding programme encourages children to attend school and therefore learn to read and write, and having that ability hugely impacts and improves their future development and opportunities for employment. I recall one young lad who Smile started feeding over a decade ago and he looked so malnourished that they didn’t think he was going to survive. But after regular meals at school and good quality education, he has now qualified as a mechanic and set up his own garage, so he can provide for his family, as well as provide an important service to his local community.

One of Rotary’s key focuses is on educating needy children around the world and Smile are delighted that the Rotary Club of Peterborough Ortons recently fundraised and donated £500 to the ongoing work of Smile International.

The challenge Smile is facing now is that the cost of food has sky-rocketed due to the economic global situation and therefore they need to source their own food more cost-effectively. Smile have been able to obtain a parcel of land where they can grow their own maize, cabbages, potatoes, etc, to feed the children, but are desperately in need of further donations to purchase seeds, prepare the ground and bring in the harvest.

Smile is providing approximately 5,000 meals a week, that’s 20,000 meals a month, approximately 180,000 meals a year, so children can grow up healthily and educated, and have a brighter future.

For more information or to make a donation, go to https://www.smileinternational.org. Thank you for your support.