World Vision’s response to the China Earthquake expects to help over 1.1 million people. In the immediate aftermath, we supplied tarpaulins and tents to those left homeless. World Vision is now working with survivors to rebuild homes. This is part of our long-term commitment, and work that is personal for many of those affected.

In the 12 months since China’s devastating earthquake, support for World Vision’s emergency relief work has helped rebuild close to 2,200 homes, with more than 4,000 still planned.

Among the devastation of Guangyuan City, many families are seeing signs of hope and new beginnings:

• The Chinese New Year of January 2009 marked a new start for Haiyan, 8, and her family. They moved back into their home, rebuilt with World Vision’s help. 
• Luo Wanxi’s house in Guangyuan City collapsed when the earthquake hit in May 2008. Since then, his family has lived in a temporary tent because they could not afford to build a new house. When they found out about the support World Vision could offer in house reconstruction Luo finally felt he had a chance at a new home. 
• Du Daye was among the project’s beneficiaries in Guangyuan City. World Vision visited Du Daye to check the progress of his house’s nearly-completed reconstruction. Du Daye and his wife work hard to pay for their sick son's care and medications. Without World Vision's assistance, they would have been unable to rebuild their home. Soon they, like thousands of others, can move from temporary shelter to something more permanent. It may not be their old life, but it is the start of something that is truly theirs, after 12 months of uncertainty.