Feed the Minds is an

ecumenical Ecumenism (), also spelled oecumenism, is the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships among their churches and promote Christian unity. The adjec ...

Christian international development charity that supports the most

marginalised Social exclusion or social marginalisation is the social disadvantage and relegation to the fringe of society. It is a term that has been used widely in Europe and was first used in France in the late 20th century. It is used across discipline ...

individuals and communities around the world. Its vision is "A world in which all people everywhere have the opportunity to live life in all its fullness", and it works towards this vision through its Education for Change programme and Overseas Book Service. In 2011/12 Feed the Minds changed the lives of 100,000 people through its Education for Change programme, and supported churches in development by sending more than 3,000 quality used books to 126

theological colleges A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

Campaigns

The Lunches for Life campaign, launched in 2010, invites followers to hold food based fundraising events. The campaign runs in September to coincide with International Literacy Day (on 8 September). So far, it has raised more than £4,000 which has contributed to running projects on the Education for Change program.

Organisational values

The organisations values are: *Partnership : Requiring Feed the Minds to work in partnership rather than alone with an aim to achieve genuine exchange of resources and support. *Creativity: Committed to encouraging indigenous creativity and local writing. Projects should be designed by the communities they are intended to serve and should reflect understanding of and respect for the rich diversity of cultures worldwide. *Integrity: Committed to improving efficiency. Feed the Minds strives to be trustworthy and honest in their operations and decision-making. *Diversity: Feed the Minds works with partners of all faiths and none, and strives to support a wide range of projects in different countries.

Organisational Approach

Literacy has been at the heart of the work of Feed the Minds throughout its history and is also acknowledged in the Millennium Development Goals as an essential aspect of the commitment to Education For All.

Publications

In 2011, in partnership with the Population Council in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

, Feed the Minds conducted some research into

Female Genital Mutilation Female genital mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting, female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and female circumcision, is the ritual cutting or removal of some or all of the external female genitalia. The practice is found ...

(FGM) in Kenya. The research looked at how an Alternative

Rite of Passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...

, which involves education and a celebration but no cutting, could protect young girls at the same time as protecting cultural traditions. In 2011 "Storytelling: A tool for promoting peace and literacy" was produced to support a project called Trauma Healing Through Storytelling, Reading and Writing, funded by Feed the Minds in partnership with the Peacebuilding, Healing and Reconciliation Programme (PHARP) and the

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

Evangelical Mission (SEM). Feed the Minds believe storytelling is a particularly powerful literacy and

empowerment Empowerment is the degree of autonomy and self-determination in people and in communities. This enables them to represent their interests in a responsible and self-determined way, acting on their own authority. It is the process of becoming strong ...

tool.

Volunteering and Regional Groups

Feed the Minds has a network of six regional groups in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. They organise social and fundraising events across the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

. In 2011/2012 alone these regional groups raised £29, 585. Feed the Minds have also estimated that groups such as their

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of Wil ...

committee have sold in excess of 100,000 books over the last few decades.

References

{{Authority control Development charities based in the United Kingdom International development agencies Organizations established in 1964