LIVONIA, MICH. – Madonna University's Nutrition and Dietetics students will take part in a global service initiative this winter to support the Lesotho Nutrition Initiative (LNI), an organization dedicated to combating childhood malnutrition in Lesotho, Africa. The meal-packing event will be held Saturday, January 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Madonna University's main campus.
Lesotho, a landlocked and mountainous country completely surrounded by South Africa, faces persistent challenges stemming from decades of apartheid, limited agricultural capacity, and widespread poverty. The country is among the 30 poorest in the world, with an HIV prevalence rate of 23.9% and the highest per capita death rate from HIV globally. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has resulted in approximately 360,000 orphans - nearly one-fifth of the nation's 2.1 million residents. Poor soil and harsh climatic conditions further limit food production, with Lesotho producing only about 10% of its own food supply.
The Lesotho Nutrition Initiative works to address these challenges by providing meals fortified with nutritional supplements to children suffering from wasting, severe, or chronic malnutrition, and stunting. Most of the approximately 3,300 children served daily by LNI are under the age of 5, a critical period when the majority of cognitive development occurs. Proper nutrition during these early years is essential to preventing long-term developmental delays.
Dr. Karen Schmitz, chair of Madonna University's Nutrition and Dietetics Department and a former Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, is bringing LNI to campus. During the event, she will share insights about the country, the initiative's work, and her experience living and teaching in a rural mountain village in the 1980s.
Participation in the event provides Madonna Nutrition and Dietetics students with hands-on experience applying classroom knowledge to real-world global health challenges, reinforcing the program's emphasis on service, experiential learning, and community impact.
Additional volunteers age 14 and older are welcome to assist with meal packaging. Those interested can email Karen Schmitz at kschmitz@madonna.edu with the number of volunteers they plan to bring.
