Adriana, 14, attends a Catholic Relief Services nutrition education class in Timor-Leste, a southeast Asian island nation. Although she has to walk a long distance to school, she likes science and wants to become a doctor. Catholic Relief Services supported nutrition and health initiatives for adolescent girls and young women in 21 communities in Timor-Leste. (Benny Manser | Catholic Relief Services) CHARLOTTE — As countries around the world reduce funding for international humanitarian aid and hunger continues to rise, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) invites Catholics across the United States to pray, fast and give alms through its annual Lenten program, CRS Rice Bowl.
Ongoing conflicts, extreme weather and persistent inflation are driving up food prices, pushing more families into hunger. According to the United Nations, nearly 700 million people worldwide face hunger today, just as cuts to humanitarian aid are leaving millions with fewer lifelines. This makes faith communities and programs like CRS Rice Bowl more critical than ever.
“The past year has been incredibly difficult for so many families around the world,” said Sean Callahan, CRS’s president and CEO. “We’re seeing more people go hungry just as the resources available to help them are being reduced. CRS Rice Bowl offers Catholics in the U.S. a meaningful way to respond and affirm that no one is forgotten.”
Rooted in Catholic social teaching and the Lenten practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, CRS Rice Bowl invites participants to live the principle of solidarity – recognizing that all people are part of one human family.
Donations to CRS Rice Bowl support CRS programs around the world that address hunger and poverty by tackling their root causes. In addition, 25% of funds collected remain in local dioceses to support hunger-relief efforts. As many families nationwide struggle with rising costs of living, these local investments are more vital than ever.
“As Catholics, we are called to serve those most in need, especially when the challenges feel overwhelming,” Callahan said. “Right now, families everywhere are feeling the strain of rising costs, no matter where they live. CRS Rice Bowl offers Catholics in the United States a tangible way to live out their Lenten almsgiving, transforming small, personal sacrifices, like skipping a weekly coffee, into a greater impact for families facing hunger.”
Since its founding in 1975, CRS Rice Bowl has raised more than $350 million and impacted people like Adriana, a 14-year-old girl who lives in the remote village of Ermera in Timor-Leste.
Malnutrition is common among adolescent girls on the small southeast Asian island. Adriana faces long treks to school, seasonal food scarcity and limited access to nutritious food. The family’s income from coffee harvesting lasts only a few months each year, so balanced meals are rare outside of harvest season.
“If it’s the coffee harvest season, we have money and can have these types of [nutritious] foods weekly, but if it’s not coffee season, then it might be once every two weeks or once a month,” Adriana said.
Adriana attends monthly sessions put on by CRS and local organizations to learn how to improve her nutrition and self-care. In these sessions, Adriana learns about how conditions like anemia, often caused by low iron levels, lead to fatigue and weakness.
“When I attend the nutrition session, it helps me to understand more about the importance and benefit of food for my development,” Adriana said. “When I eat good nutritious food, it will help me to grow healthy to support my brain [functioning], so I can learn more and achieve my dream. I want to be a doctor, to be healthy and help others because in our villages there is no doctor.”
By fueling her body with nutritious food and her mind with plans to obtain a life-changing education, CRS Rice Bowl participants are creating futures filled with hope.
— Catholic News Herald and Catholic Relief Services
Batar Da’An (Timor-Leste)
Batar Da’An is a satisfying stew made of squash, beans and corn and is beloved in Timor-Leste. Though it uses simple ingredients, it is packed with flavor and healthy nutrients. Servings: 4
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups water
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
1 10-ounce bag frozen corn
1 15-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cooked rice
Preparation
- In a large pot over medium heat, heat the oil.
- Add onion and garlic and sauté until tender.
- Add water and squash, and increase heat until water is simmering.
- Add corn and kidney beans and cook, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until squash is tender.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with rice.