Thanks to the generosity of countless Australians, World Vision can respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies wherever they occur and whatever their dimensions. Take a look at where we've been helping emergency survivors get back on their feet in recent years.
Over World Vision's 40-plus years in Australia, it's been the generosity of ordinary Australians that's allowed us to play a major role in relief efforts throughout the world. World Vision currently supports significant humanitarian efforts, including disaster management work, in 64 countries.
In recent years, World Vision has responded to urgent need following some of the planet's direst emergencies:
May 2008, Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis hits Yangon and the Ayeyarwaddy Delta region, leaving 140,000 dead or missing and leaving millions more homeless. World Vision provided essential relief supplies and support to over 347,000 people, distributed food, shelter kits, blankets, mosquito nets and water containers, and set up 108 Child Friendly Spaces to help kids recover. Later, we set up programs focusing on livelihood recovery, child protection, rebuilding schools, water and sanitation, and disaster risk reduction.
November 2007, Bangladesh: Cyclone Sidr claimed 3,000 lives, injured 40,000 and left 2 million more in urgent need of assistance. With the help of Australian donations, World Vision launched an immediate response, evacuating 20,000 people, distributing food, bedding, clothing, water and other items to just as many, establishing Child Friendly Spaces, and providing temporary shelter to 65,000 people, and later setting up long-term livelihood recovery programs.
August-September 2007, South Asia: floods affected 35 million people in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, claiming 3,000 victims across the region. Thanks to the generosity of Australians, World Vision assisted 27,000 families in India, 17,000 in Bangladesh and 6,000 in Nepal with food and other essential items. Afterwards, World Vision set up programs in livelihood recovery, water provision, agricultural support and training in sanitation and hygiene.
February 2007, Mozambique: severe flooding claimed the lives of up to 50 people and affected some 250,000 more. World Vision launched immediate emergency relief operations, distributing food aid, water purification tablets, mosquito nets and tents. Later efforts focused on resettlement and livelihood recovery, including operating Food for Work programs in 22 resettlement areas, including brickmaking, latrine and well construction, and road rehabilitation.
April 2007, Solomon Islands: an earthquake and tsunami devastated towns and villages in the country's Western Province, claiming 52 lives. Australian donations in response to a World Vision appeal enabled us to provide urgently needed relief items by boat including water tanks, tarpaulins, blankets, pots, cooking utensils and soap. World Vision specialists visited remote villages to assess damage and survivor needs, setting up basic hygiene facilities and conducting health checks in the camps.
June 2006, Middle East: a month-long military conflict in Lebanon, Israel and the Gaza Strip claimed more than 1,500 lives, left millions more homeless or displaced, and disrupted basic services. Within days, World Vision, in partnership with the Lebanese Red Cross and UN agencies in Gaza, delivered food relief, medical supplies and shelter to displaced people across the country. World Vision distributed water purification units, water containers and hygiene kits to 45,000 people in Beirut and southern Lebanon. Later, ongoing World Vision activities included children’s rights programs, Child Friendly Spaces, de-mining awareness, peace-building initiatives, and assistance with essential winter supplies for 10,000 Lebanese people.
March-May 2006, East Timor: when civil unrest led to the deaths of 20 people and the displacement of 130,000 more, World Vision responded with support for over 40,000 of those displaced, including food, shelter and medical care. Since then, thanks to the generous support of Australians, World Vision has focused on longer-term food security, livelihoods, child protection, and peace-building activities.
May 2006, Indonesia: an earthquake in central Java claimed 5,000 lives, injured 38,000, and left one million homeless. Within days, World Vision provided tarpaulins, blankets and clothing to survivors, and high-energy biscuits to children. Within a week, 30,000 people were provided with hygiene kits, cooking stoves, kerosene lamps and flashlights. Australian donors enabled World Vision to support seven community health centres with medicines, sanitary facilities, bedding, water tanks and pumps, generators, lighting and tents.
October 2005, Pakistan: an earthquake claimed 75,000 lives and left 3 million more homeless. Thanks to $2.2 million donated by Australians, World Vision provided winterised tents, blankets, food and water and, later, focused on resettlement and rehabilitation programs with an emphasis on education, child protection and livelihood issues.
December 2004, South-East Asia: Australian donations totaling $118 million allowed Word Vision Australia to launch a quick and comprehensive response to the devastating tsunami that shocked the world on Boxing Day. In Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar, World Vision provided emergency relief to thousands of tsunami survivors. Just as importantly, we implemented short- and long-term rehabilitation programs, allowing survivors to get back on their feet.