Overseas Development Work

Mothers’ Union is a vibrant network of 3.6 million people across the world, each serving their local community to encourage a better quality of life for all and an end to poverty. Working at grassroots level through projects, trainings and advocacy work, Mothers’ Union seeks to empower, develop and uplift people and their communities.

We believe in the right to hope, dignity and freedom for all regardless of faith, race or nationality.

Through the Overseas Development Fund we also provide salary and travel grants to our community development workers throughout 30 different countries across the globe. This includes, amongst many others, hundreds of isolated South Pacific Islands, Guyana, Myanmar and 27 of Africa’s 53 countries. Through this dedicated network, communities are encouraged and supported to lead and direct their own development. Local Mothers’ Union groups provide the skills, knowledge, contacts and man-power to make things happen. 
 
            "We are a group of people, working towards the same goal—
            To be a positive, life giving force’"(Mothers' Union in Johannesburg)

Mothers’ Union really is lead at the grassroots level. All visions, ideas and implementation processes are devised and carried out by the very people they affect. This means the poorest and most marginalised people take back control over their own lives and development finding their own solutions and escape from the difficulties and challenges they face.     

Examples of Our Work
The vast majority of our income comes from individual donations from our members across the world.  Through a grants system awarded by a voluntary committee, the Overseas Development Fund supports communities, guided by Mothers’ Union development workers and executives, to provide projects such as: Fishing Projects and Bakeries in the DR Congo, Corn mills and Cafeterias in Sudan and Livestock Rearing in Kenya.

We also provide grants towards training events including Peace & Reconciliation workshops in Kenya and Sudan, Traditional Birth Attendants in Zambia, Food & Nutrition in Guyana, Farming and Sustainable Livelihoods in Tanzania, HIV/AIDS in Papua New Guinea, Microfinance and Savings in Myanmar and Human Trafficking in Madagascar and India