Skills for Life Independence Students support Mary's Meals Backpack Project

A number of Moray College UHI students from the Support for Learning Independence Skills course hosted a Daffodil Tea in March raising over £230.00. This and donations collected from staff and students from Moray College UHI was used to purchase 43 back packs for Marys Meals Back Pack Campaign.

The idea for the campaign to raise money to send the back packs to schools in Africa came from the students themselves after they watched the documentary 'Martha, Meals and Malawi’.

The back packs, which are kitted out with basic essentials such as, toothpaste, soap as well as pencils, notebooks, t shirts, flip flops are an invaluable resource for the children and families who are  living in poverty in Africa. Without these essential resources many would not be able attend school.

The Backpack Project appeals to schools, clubs, businesses, churches and individuals to fill backpacks with basic educational materials to send to children receiving Mary’s Meals. Most of the children who benefit from Mary’s Meals and the Backpack Project have suffered war, poverty, famine, or natural disaster. Very often families cannot afford to buy basic things like pencils and copy books, or even suitable clothes for their children to wear to school. And so their children miss out on school and an education. A simple backpack with educational materials can be a lifeline to these children as studies show that an education is the best way a chronically poor child can escape poverty in later life.

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