A sacred commitment to global humanitarian relief is woven into the fabric of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church’s director of humanitarian services told a Jordanian conference.
Sister Sharon Eubank gave the keynote address at the East West & Africa Women Initiatives Forum in Amman, Jordan, on July 15, 2023. The mission of the forum is to “raise awareness between women from all over the world; diverse expertise, religions, race and backgrounds in the importance of development.”
- Dr.-Aghadir-Jeweihan-(right),-director-of-the-Princess-Taghrid-Institute,-introduces-Sharon-Eubank,-the-Churchs-director-of-humanitarian-services-and-Stacey-Knight-(far-left),-the-Churchs-humanitarian-program-manager-for-the-Middle-East-region,-to-HRH-Princess-Taghrid-Muhammad-(left)-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-14,-2023.--
- Sharon-Eubank,-the-Churchs-director-of-humanitarian-services,-presents-at-the-East-West--Africa-Women-Initiatives-Forum-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-15,-2023.
- Rula-Shamayleh-from-the-Princess-Taghrid-Institute-for-Development-and-Training-and-Sharon-Eubank,-the-Churchs-director-of-humanitarian-services,-observe-handmade-goods-produced-by-artisans-at-the-East-West--Africa-Womens-Market-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-14,-2023.
- Michael-Nazzal-from-Jordan-YWCA-and-Sharon-Eubank,-the-Churchs-director-of-humanitarian-services,-discuss-the-vocational-training-project-organized-in-partnership-with-the-Church.-Amman,-Jordan;-July-13,-2023.
- His-Excellency-Feras-Al-Hawari-(middle),-minister-of-health-of-Jordan,-with-representatives-of-the-Princess-Taghrid-Institute-and-The-Church-of-Jesus-Christ-of-Latter-day-Saints,-signed-a-memorandum-of-understanding-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-17,-2023.
- Sharon-Eubank-talks-about-the-Churchs-commitment-to-global-relief-and-development-at-the-East-West--Africa-Women-Initiatives-Forum-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-15,-2023.
- Sister-Sharon-Eubank-discussed-the-Churchs-humanitarian-efforts-in-the-Middle-East-region-at-the-East-West--Africa-Women-Initiatives-Forum-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-15,-2023.
- Participants-at-the-East-West--Africa-Womens-Market-showcase-their-talents-and-products-in-Amman,-Jordan,-on-July-15,-2023.
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The Church has a long history of helping those in need, Sister Eubank said. “Latter-day Saints believe that all people are children of a loving God and we have an obligation to help each other”.
“We don’t do the work so that people will join our Church or to draw attention to ourselves, but — in this time of increasing polarity and divisiveness — our aim is to be kind, show God’s love by our actions, and strengthen social unity through shared experiences,” Sister Eubank said during her remarks, highlighting the Church’s focus on unity amid religious, political and ethnic differences.
As part of her visit, Sister Eubank signed memorandums of understanding with several Jordanian government organizations, including the Ministry of Health and Jordanian Royal Medical Services. These partnerships aim to expand the Church’s neonatal resuscitation training program and wheelchair projects, furthering their impact on local communities.
Stacey Knight, humanitarian program manager for the Middle East region, represented the Church at a panel dedicated to the empowerment of women. She showcased some of the Church’s notable humanitarian efforts in the Middle East and North Africa, with a particular focus on the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
“One of the Church’s projects in Kurdistan is the Nursing Midwifery and Development Center,” Knight said. “This project is a collaborative effort between the government and community partners and will save many lives in a region that is working hard to improve its health care. This type of project exemplifies the impact of women in the world and in humanitarian work.”
The East West & Africa Women Initiatives Forum, co-sponsored by the Princess Taghrid Institute for Development and Training, also featured an international market that brought together artisans and handicrafts from 15 countries around the world. This market served as a platform for women from remote areas to showcase their art to potential buyers, promoting economic empowerment.
Mark and Lynne Johnston, humanitarian volunteers for the Church in Jordan, expressed their admiration for the diverse projects undertaken worldwide. “We are impressed by the transformative impact these initiatives have on communities,” the Johnstons said.
In 2022, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ humanitarian efforts included more than $1 billion in expenditures, 6.3 million hours volunteered and 3,692 humanitarian projects in 190 countries and territories. These efforts are made possible by the donations of Latter-day Saints and their friends.
