From the beginning, World Vision's activities have been focused on
giving people – especially children – opportunities to alleviate their
suffering and to improve their lives. In 1947, American missionary Dr
Robert Pierce travelled to China and Korea and encountered people who
regularly had to go without food, clothing, shelter or medicine. During
the Korean War in the early fifties, he helped set up orphanages to
care for children who’d been abandoned or orphaned.
Upon his
return to the US, Pierce began raising funds to continue and expand his
work in Asia. The strength of the public response was such that, in
September 1950, World Vision was founded, with Pierce as its president.
World Vision was established in Australia in 1966. During that
decade, World Vision expanded its operations to meet the needs of
refugees in Indochina and of people recovering from disasters in
Bangladesh and in several African countries. Where long-term assistance
was needed, children began to be sponsored by Americans, Australians
and others.
In the 1970s, World Vision's focus broadened from
assisting the individual child to include community development. Since
the 1980s, the “welfare” approach has gradually changed to a more
collaborative relationship. Poor, marginalised people and communities
work with World Vision to improve their lives and take control of their
futures.