Emergency in Southern Africa
What is happening in Southern Africa?
Southern Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 100 years. Six countries have declared a state of emergency, and the UN has called for action to avoid a full-scale humanitarian disaster in the region.
Crops have failed, cattle are dying, and food is scarce and expensive. Extreme temperatures and a lack of rain means families have very little to get them through until the next harvest, which is expected to be very lean again this year.
The situation is desperate. Families have little to no food to put on the table and an estimated 21 million children are suffering from malnutrition.
Mary’s Meals is providing a lifeline to families in four of the worst-affected countries in the region, by serving nutritious meals to children in school.
Help feed children in Southern Africa
In Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, our school meals are bringing vital relief to families. The promise of Mary’s Meals means they know their children will eat at school and they can stretch the little food they have at home further.
Our meals bring hope. They encourage children into the classroom and give them energy to learn. This means, even in this most difficult of times, these children can make the most of their education and help break the generational cycle of poverty.
We are currently reaching 1.5 million children in the region with our nutritious school meals. But there is more we can do. We need your help to bring more children back from the brink of desperation.
With your support, we can reach many thousands more children waiting for our daily meals.
Learn more about the unfolding catastrophe in Southern Africa
Why Mary's Meals is launching an emergency appeal for Southern Africa
“This drought has pushed us to the edge of our lives.”
How to support the Emergency in Southern Africa Appeal
Donate
Please donate what you can today. You could also consider setting up a regular gift to help even more children throughout the year. Thanks to a generous donor, until 24 March 2025, if you choose to set up a new regular gift towards our Emergency in Southern Africa Appeal, your gift will be tripled for the first three payments.
Fundraise
Set up a fundraiser and ask your friends and family to support you.
Spread the word
Share this webpage on social media and ask your followers to support Mary’s Meals.
Pray for our work
An important way you can support our work in Southern Africa is through prayer.
Support us in other ways
There are so many ways to support our work. Please see more information for corporates, donor advised funds and trusts.
