Lochaber Rotary hears from Mary’s Meals

Bill Clifford of Mary’s Meals recently gave a virtual presentation to Lochaber Rotary Club members on the charity’s work in Tigray, Ethiopia.

This reinforced the Lochaber link with Mary’s Meals founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, who spent his early years at the Loch Leven Hotel.

Mary’s Meals provides 1.5 million nutritious meals a day in 19 of the world’s poorest countries, served at a place of education. On average, it costs £15.90 per year to feed a child, using mostly local suppliers.

Similar to Rotary’s international aid, in recent years Mary’s Meals has also become involved in emergency response: earthquakes, typhoons, landslides, famine, floods and war. Its activities are detailed in Magnus’ new book entitled Give: Charity and the Art of Giving Generously. Mary’s Meals is currently serving 25,000 meals a day in Tigray, Ethiopia, only a small amount considering the UN estimates there are around 5.5 million people – around the population of Scotland – suffering from starvation.

Rotarians learned that in these situations food can become a weapon but Bill Clifford claimed that, being a small relief organisation, Mary’s Meals is doing well getting into these areas.

Bill also reported that the comparatively high amount of 93 per cent of money donated gets through to those who benefit.

President Richard Baxter

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, Mary’s Meals founder.

thanked Bill Clifford for his talk and announced Lochaber Rotary would donate £500 to Mary’s Meals.

With the annual cost of feeding a child £15.90, effectively each member will be supporting a child.