More than eight weeks into the conflict in Ukraine, over 5 million children and adults have fled to neighboring countries in a crisis that continues to intensify, with casualties and displacement growing. In addition to millions of refugees, 7.1 million people are believed to have been displaced within the besieged country, meaning that nearly one of every four Ukrainians have been forced from their homes.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) reported 4,966 civilian casualties between February 24 and April 18, 2022 — with 2,104 people killed, including 205 children — mostly resulting from explosive weapons in populated areas.

The overwhelming majority of refugees and displaced individuals are children and women. The U.N. has said that another Ukrainian child is becoming a refugee nearly every second, and that more than one of every two Ukrainian children are now displaced.

Most refugees have fled to Poland, Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, where they have been widely welcomed by governments and local communities.

As war continues, humanitarian needs are multiplying. World Vision staff are supporting refugees in Romania, where we aim to provide hundreds of thousands of people with essential aid, including emergency food assistance packages and educational and psychological support. We’re also working with partners to support refugees in Moldova and displaced families in Ukraine, and through our staff in Georgia, where thousands of visiting Ukrainians were stranded when the conflict began.

FAQs: What you need to know about Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis

Explore facts and frequently asked questions about the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine and learn how to  help children and their families.

• Fast facts: Where is Ukraine and what’s the history of this conflict?
• What’s the potential impact of the current crisis in Ukraine?
• What food supplies will be affected by the Ukraine crisis?
• What’s World Vision doing to help families impacted by the Ukraine crisis?
• How many children are affected by the conflict in Ukraine?
• How are children being impacted by the crisis in Ukraine?
• Is World Vision supporting the emotional needs of children?
• What are other concerns for children in the Ukraine crisis?
• How are children’s educational needs affected by the Ukraine conflict?
• What else can I do to help children and families impacted by the conflict?

Fast facts: Where is Ukraine and what’s the history of this conflict?

• Ukraine is the second-largest country in Europe (just after Russia) with a landmass slightly smaller than the state of Texas and a population of about 43 million.
• Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine declared independence on August 24, 1991.
• The country has experienced years of political and economic instability and remains among the countries of Europe suffering the most severe health impacts from the coronavirus pandemic.
• Due to conflict that began in eastern Ukraine in 2014, nearly 3 million people already needed humanitarian aid before the February 2022 escalation.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What’s the potential impact of the current crisis in Ukraine?

With over 5 million fleeing Ukraine in the space of eight weeks, this is the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

The sudden escalation of conflict is not only devastating the lives of Ukrainian children and families but is expected to create economic disruptions that impact child poverty far beyond Eastern Europe. This conflict not only threatens regional stability but is also expected to raise humanitarian needs sharply.

U.N. agencies anticipate a dramatic increase in global hunger, which was already on the rise, as conflict has shut off critical food exports from Ukraine.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What food supplies will be affected by the Ukraine crisis?

In 2021, Ukraine ranked among the top three global exporters of wheat, corn, rapeseed (used to make canola oil), sunflower seeds, and sunflower oil. With Russia being the world’s largest exporter of wheat, the two countries together provide about one-third of the global supply of cereal grains.

“The conflict in Ukraine has resulted in a spike in the global price of wheat, up to its highest level since 2008, when the world had its last severe global food price crisis. This is due to the fact that Russia and Ukraine export 29% – almost one third – of the world’s wheat,” said Amanda Rives, World Vision’s global senior director for disaster management resource development. “Wheat is an essential product, provided to those experiencing, or at risk of, starvation.”

The Ukraine–Russia area alone provides more than half of the wheat supply distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP), according to the U.N. World Vision is WFP’s largest implementing partner worldwide.

“Food, fuel, and fertilizer prices are skyrocketing. Supply chains are being disrupted. And the costs and delays of transportation of imported goods — when available — are at record levels,” Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres said. About 45 less developed nations import a large percentage of their wheat from the Ukraine–Russia region. “All of this is hitting the poorest the hardest and planting the seeds for political instability and unrest around the globe,” he added.

International food prices also may rise by up to 22% above their already elevated levels because of the crisis, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Between 20% and 30% of winter cereals, corn, and sunflower seeds in Ukraine will either not be planted or not be harvested during the 2022-2023 season, the FAO anticipates. This is expected to contribute to global supply gaps and heighten economic hardships and needs for vulnerable nations globally.

Simulations from the FAO suggest that should the reduction of food exports from Ukraine be prolonged, the global number of undernourished people could increase by 8 to 13 million people in 2022 and 2023, with the greatest impact being in the Asia-Pacific region and sub-Saharan Africa, followed by the Near East and North Africa.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What’s World Vision doing to help families impacted by the Ukraine crisis?

We’ve been responding since the first week of the crisis and are continuing to scale our response across the region, with the goal of reaching nearly 300,000 people in Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia over the next few months.

As of April 14, 2022, our staff have supported 57,954 people, including 27,493 women and 24,105 children, with essentials.

• 32,705 people have received emergency food assistance
• 11,266 people have received temporary shelter assistance
• 13,313 people have been reached through hygiene kits

• In Romania, where we’ve had a presence for decades, our local staff responded as soon as the crisis began. To date, we’ve provided 38,393 people with support including food, shelter, protection resources, and education and hygiene kits. That total includes children and women staying at a 2,000-person shelter, Bucharest’s largest. We make processing areas more child-friendly, facilitate transportation for refugees, establish temporary shelters with heaters, and facilitate medical support for refugee children.
• In Ukraine, World Vision is working with dozens of trusted partners and has shipped food, medical supplies, and shelter kits to support 14,738 people. On March 6, we delivered two vanloads of food and supplies to a 600-bed hospital that had issued an urgent plea for help to officials in its sister town of Siret, Romania. Delivery included mattresses, pillows, sheets, towels, soap, and disinfectant, as well as pasta, grains, rice, oil, condensed milk, and canned meat. Shipments are continuing to our partner hospitals in Chernivtsi (southwest Ukraine), including bedding, towels, and other supplies for displaced families.
• In Moldova, World Vision is working in partnership with the World Food Programme to support 6,000 Moldovan families hosting refugees and is also supporting the improvement of sanitation conditions at a shelter near the border. At least 4,000 individuals, including 1,640 children, have received necessary cleaning supplies and essentials. We’ve provided food and other supplies for refugee centers and have plans to support education continuity for displaced children.
• In Georgia, we’re helping support 4,000 Ukrainians who were temporarily in the country when the conflict began, including distributing vouchers to cover food, hygiene, clothing, and pharmacy costs. So far, 823 individuals have been supported through our programming and activities. We’re also working with the Ministry of Education to help 110 children get into school. So far, 58 children have been enrolled.

World Vision has worked in Eastern Europe for years, which positions us well to support those affected by this crisis. Last year we assisted 3.2 million people across the Middle East and Eastern Europe through emergency response programs.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many children are affected by the conflict in Ukraine?

Children make up half of all refugees from Ukraine. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports some 2 million children have fled the country, with another 2.5 million displaced within Ukraine. More than 1.1 million children have arrived in Poland, with hundreds of thousands also entering Romania, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic.

“We know that children have been killed, we know that thousands and thousands are at risk, and we know that more children, gutwrenchingly, are going to die or be injured in this unless fighting ends,” said James Elder, spokesperson for UNICEF.

At least 205 children’s deaths have been documented during the conflict, along with injuries to an additional 362 children, according to OHCHR.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How are children being impacted by the Ukraine crisis?

Ukraine’s 7.5 million children have been put at grave risk. The conflict is forcing them into situations of extreme vulnerability and leading to mental and emotional stress, the loss of loved ones, interruption in education, and the destruction of homes and family livelihoods.

“Currently, almost one child every second is being forced to flee their home in Ukraine and seek refuge in neighboring countries,” said Mihaela Nabăr, national director of World Vision’s Romania office. “Some of these children have been on the move for days in freezing temperatures, going from one temporary accommodation to another. Many were forced to [leave] their clothes and toys, and maybe even pets behind. Their lives have changed in an instant, and for children, who need routine and familiarity, this has been deeply distressing.”

She said many of the children arriving in Romania shared their heartbreaking experiences after having witnessed fighting — or worse — and had seen their homes and communities damaged or destroyed.

“Many of these children lost everything they knew when the conflict began,” she said. “What we hope to do is to help them to start dealing with the trauma of war and the stress of being uprooted from their homes, communities, friends, and schools.”

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Is World Vision helping support the emotional needs of children?

World Vision has set up Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) to help meet the emotional needs of children impacted by the crisis. In these safe spaces, children can play, engage in informal learning, and express their worries and fears to trained, caring staff. Most importantly, they get a chance to just be a child with other children who are facing the same situation.

The national director for World Vision’s Romania office, Mihaela Nabăr, said the spaces also give children some time to experience aspects of a normal life again.

“World Vision research has shown that conflict has severe and long-term impacts on children. It is vitally important for children who have been forced to flee Ukraine to quickly retrieve some kind of routine, have something to look forward to and have something familiar they can enjoy. And this is what a CFS can partly provide.”

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What are other concerns for children in the Ukraine crisis?

Aside from the immediate and long-term impacts of stress on displaced children, World Vision has expressed concern about potential separation from their parents and families, exposing them to heightened risks of violence, exploitation, and abuse. “The children … are suffering. They are here with their mothers, they are separated from their fathers. They are crying. They are scared. The risk of trafficking is huge here at the border,” says Mihaela Nabăr, national director of World Vision’s Romania office.

The food security situation in Ukraine is also concerning. WFP officials warn food is getting harder to find for those left in the country.

The UNICEF Emergency Programs Director, Manuel Fontaine, remarks that nearly half of the estimated 3.2 million children displaced in Ukraine “may be at risk of not having enough food” in cities like Mariupol and Kherson, where people have gone weeks without running water.

About 450,000 children between the ages of 6 and 23 months now need complementary food support, according to UNICEF.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How are children’s educational needs affected by the Ukraine conflict?

Since the start of the conflict on February 23, 2022, more than 733 educational institutions have been damaged or destroyed, disrupting access to education for thousands of children.

“No child should be forced out of school because of conflict,” said Isabel Gomes, World Vision’s Ukraine response director. “We know school provides a sense of normalcy that children caught up in conflict desperately need, in addition to offering them a safe space and protecting their futures. As the response moves into its second month, we’re focused on working with the authorities to help get children back into school.”

Host countries like Moldova are struggling to meet the basic needs of Ukrainian refugees. Moldova is one of Europe’s poorest nations and has the highest per capita refugee population in the region. World Vision is deeply concerned about children losing access to education. Nearly 90% of refugees in Moldova are women and children, with 97% of refugee children still out of school.

“After two years of COVID-19 lockdowns already, the impact that this crisis will have on children’s wellbeing, mental health, and education is frightening,” added Isabel.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What else can I do to help children and families impacted by conflict?

Give to help provide care and support for children and families who have been forcibly displaced and those suffering the broader effects of the crisis.

Contact one of our corporate engagement representatives to get your company involved.

“Globally, 426 million children — nearly 1 in 5 — live in conflict zones. The world’s children cannot bear another war that threatens their well-being, education, and hope in their future,” said Edgar Sandoval Sr., president and CEO of World Vision U.S. “Children are at the center of our prayers for Ukraine as we hope and pray for a swift, peaceful resolution.”

Listen to an interview with World Vision U.S. President and CEO Edgar Sandoval Sr. as he shares how the organization is supporting Ukrainian refugees.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

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Single mom Chabeli Gonzalez returned from her errand to find a message waiting on her answering machine. It came from the local school district inviting her to a distribution of food, cleaning supplies, and school supplies at a nearby church, New Dimension Christian Center in Hartford, Connecticut.

She immediately shared the news with her mother, Carmen. “My mom asked, ‘Are you serious?’” says Chabeli. “We started tearing up.”

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, 28-year-old Chabeli worked two jobs — at a shop in her local mall during the day and in a bar on weekends — to make ends meet for herself; her 6-year-old son, Ahni; and Carmen. “This coronavirus is stressful on all of us,” she says.

Facing difficulties

It’s not the first time she’s faced difficulty. When Ahni was just 2, Chabeli and her now ex-husband took him for an appointment only to learn why Ahni wasn’t hitting his childhood milestones. The diagnosis: autism.

Doctors didn’t ever expect him to speak, but he’s defied their expectations. At age 4, he started speaking in more complete sentences. Now 6, when he gets excited, he’s very vocal. “He’s a little volcano of excitement,” says Chabeli. “We’ve come a long way.”

But she doesn’t want to jeopardize his progress or his health by exposing him to COVID-19, which is why the no-touch method of the church’s distribution felt especially important to her.

“That made me feel really better about being there,” says Chabeli. “They handed out it with love.”

An already-vulnerable community

Rosa McGuire heads up the outreach program at New Dimension Christian Center. People tell her how the coronavirus has exacerbated needs in this already-fragile community.

“With the pandemic, the situation is just escalating more. They find themselves in more critical need,” she says. “There’s great need right in our backyard. Any opportunity to reach our community and supply the needs that they have, we want to be able to reach out.”

She says that church and community members are hardworking people, but their income is low. People like Chabeli don’t have the safety of savings built up because they struggle getting by day to day.

In pre-pandemic times, the church ran a food pantry and clothing bank. Four years ago, they began partnering with World Vision’s warehouse in Hartford. “We don’t have the funds to continue to replenish what has been given away,” Rosa says. That’s where partners come in.

“With World Vision, we can continue to give,” she says. “World Vision continues to restock us.”

When Rosa got the call from World Vision to distribute Family Emergency Kits to families especially hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic, she was more than ready to say yes. The kits are part of World Vision’s U.S. response to help alleviate the economic fallout of COVID-19 on families.

Keeping the love going

Chabeli, Carmen, and Ahni opened the box together. First, they saw rice and then a bag of oatmeal. That was especially exciting for Ahni, who Chabeli describes as a picky eater. “We made cookies for days,” she says.

And then there were the school supplies. Ahni always claimed to hate school, but now that he’s been home for so long, he misses his friends. He’s lonely, says Chabeli. The notebook, pack of pencils, and crayons drew his interest.

She says, “That was awesome. It was something for him to be able to play with.” Now every day he uses those pencils and crayons to create little notes for Chabeli that read, “I love mom.”

People “don’t really see how so little can go so far,” when they make donations, says Chabeli. Pens, pencils, and paper have brought Ahni hours of enjoyment. For her, two bags of groceries can cost $100. Now she can take the money she would’ve spent on food and get new shoes for Ahni, who’s growing fast. He seems to go through tennis shoes every four to six months.

“We don’t take the time to say thanks, job well done, [and] pat someone on the back,” Chabeli says before adding her thanks to the donors who made the distribution possible. “This definitely put food into homes that needed it. It fed our family.”

Before the partnership with World Vision, Rosa struggled with wanting to do more to help the community. “It’s exciting to be able to meet that need that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to meet,” says Rosa. “Without [the donors’] assistance we would not be able to leave such a big impression.”

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Hollywood is synonymous with glamour — a glitzy town where an aspiring actor’s dreams can come true. But you’ll find more than pink terrazzo stars on the city’s Walk of Fame. It’s also home to some of the 60,000 Los Angelenos who live on the streets or in their cars. They lack access to basic sanitation — toilets and showers — and even clean water. In a city where the sun beats down relentlessly, hygiene is a challenge, especially with COVID-19 closing businesses and public spaces like libraries where those without homes could normally find bathrooms.

The Shower of Hope is one organization providing relief to these unhoused individuals and families. It’s set up seven showers in the parking lot of Hollywood’s Adventist Church (now closed for indoor worship due to the coronavirus) — one of 25 locations where The Shower of Hope operates.

Providing hope

Tuesday through Friday, homeless people arrive — often carrying their every possession in a backpack slung over a shoulder — to take showers. “It’s a very interesting system,” says John Schoer of Adventist Health. “It’s kind of like a spa. During the day, you won’t see a long line, but it is virtually full every 10 minutes.”

“Sixty to 70% of the people utilizing the showers are unhoused, living in their cars, but still working,” says John. “They need to be presentable and respectable for work, but they don’t have homes.” People come and go quietly. “A lot of them are concerned about letting their employers know they live in their cars,” says John. “They are afraid of being fired.”

For years, the church provided two showers for homeless community members through its outreach ministry. But when COVID-19 hit Hollywood, Adventist Health, Kohler, and World Vision formed a partnership to help. “We came together to make this happen,” says John. Adventist Health reached out to The Shower of Hope to bring the specially-designed trailer to Los Angeles. World Vision supplies the products needed to keep the program running, and the church provides space for the showers. Thirty-year-old Andrew Froemming oversees the project. “Andrew is a one-man show,” says John. Andrew is the administrative director for the church — a title that doesn’t come close to capturing his outreach to the city’s homeless community.

Partnering to meet increased need

When Andrew moved to Los Angeles from Minnesota eight years ago, he was stunned to see how many people live on the streets. He began to form relationships with these neighbors. “We get to know them on a first name basis,” says Andrew. “It becomes like a family.” He calls every person who books an appointment a guest, because that’s what they are.

“When COVID-19 hit Los Angeles, the demand for showers went up exponentially,” Andrew says. “Often low-income people have an inexpensive gym membership so they can shower. But people weren’t allowed into gyms or buildings anymore.” The church’s two showers were inadequate.

Eric Birky grew up in Wisconsin, then the family moved to Phoenix when his parents sold their farm. When they died, he moved to Los Angeles with a friend. “I had no idea he would end up in a nursing home,” Eric says. “I then had no place to be.” Eric had been living on the streets for three years when he learned about the Hollywood Adventist Church and started attending their program for homeless people, called A Million Drops.

Giving back

Now Eric volunteers to help check in homeless people in need of showers. “Even though I am homeless, I can give back,” he says. But he is also a guest. Nearly 59, Eric has arthritis — his right knee is now bone-on-bone, and he desperately needs surgery. “It’s tough getting old,” he chuckles. But as a homeless person, surgery is but a dream.

Eric is grateful for the showers. “The showers are actually beautiful. They are luxurious. The music is piped in. It feels very relaxing. I could stay there forever,” he says.

He’s grateful not only for himself but for the other 60,000 homeless people in Los Angeles: “If these showers weren’t here, it would be very rough for people,” he says. “I walk past certain areas where I see people with ragged clothes. You can see they’re dirty — not because they want to be, but because of their circumstances.”

World Vision supplies the necessities to keep the program running. Before World Vision became involved, donations came from volunteers at the church. But with a congregation of only 150 members, those donations couldn’t meet the need. Inside the church, stacked boxes of socks, hand sanitizer, deodorant, and shampoo have just arrived. “We go through hundreds of bottles every week,” says Andrew.

Staying strong despite uncertain future

Andrew himself may soon face homelessness. The church funds his salary through operating the building as a community center. But COVID-19 put a stop to that. “This month, our big rental went away,” he says. “That covered my salary. I still don’t know if they can cover my salary, but we don’t want to see the showers go away.” The only other place with public showers is the YMCA on the other side of Hollywood, but more people shower at the Adventist church, he says. Last year his neighbor, a woman in the film industry, became homeless when she lost her job and was evicted from her apartment. “Now I am in the same position,” he says. But Andrew is optimistic—he’s seen the community come through tough times before.

Meanwhile, the work continues. “We started with 140 a week,” Andrew says. “One week almost 200 people came through.” Last month, The Shower of Hope provided 775 showers for its guests. “We are only limited by capacity,” he says. Limited by capacity, but certainly not by love. And that’s better than getting a star on the Walk of Fame.

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From monster storms and flooding to civil wars and droughts, major disasters impact children, their families and economies around the world each year.

“Our donors in the United States responded generously to the major disasters this year,” says Lawren Sinnema, a senior program manager with World Vision, although funding gaps remain for some of the worst crises. “The world’s attention can shift easily once a new disaster strikes, but it’s important that we not forget the long-running crises, particularly in Syria and East Africa, that are affecting millions of children.”

Learn about five of the worst disasters of 2017 and how World Vision is helping people hardest hit this year.

East Africa hunger and food crisis

Millions of people in East Africa are experiencing chronic hunger and the threat of famine. Conflict, recurring severe drought, and high food prices are to blame. People are dying of starvation.

In South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia alone, 28 million people need humanitarian assistance. About 6.9 million children are suffering from malnutrition, including more than 1 million who are severely malnourished or risk dying by the end of 2017.

World Vision has scaled up relief efforts in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan to reach up to 2.2 million people with life-saving food, clean water and sanitation services, medical assistance, and livelihood skills training. Here are some highlights from our response so far:

• 2 million people reached with food-related assistance
• More than 378,000 people reached with health services
• More than 971,000 people reached with water, sanitation, and hygiene services
• More than 84,000 children reached with protection and education interventions
• More than 392,000 women and children reached with nutrition services

 

Syrian refugee crisis

Now more than six years into the Syria civil war, the Syrian refugee crisis is internationally recognized as the largest refugee and displacement crisis of our time. The war has set back the national standard of living by decades — now that healthcare facilities, schools, and water and sanitation systems have been damaged or destroyed.

Hundreds of thousands of people have died, 5.3 million Syrians have fled the country as refugees, and 6.3 million Syrians are displaced within the country. Half of the people affected are children. About 13.5 million people inside the country — almost three-quarters of the population — need humanitarian assistance.

Since the civil war began in 2011, World Vision has helped more than 2 million people with healthcare, water, sanitation, and hygiene, psychosocial support to women and children, supplies for cold winter months, education programs, and food aid.

Myanmar refugees in Bangladesh

More than 600,000 people have fled their homes in western Myanmar’s Rakhine state to Bangladesh since late August 2017 because of renewed fighting between inter-communal groups, minority groups, and government military forces. As many as 2,000 people cross the border from Myanmar into Bangladesh daily, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund. This is one of the fastest-growing humanitarian crises in the world in 2017.

The humanitarian situation continues to worsen with an increased risk of disease in refugee settlements. Decades of tension and unrest in remote areas of Myanmar have also displaced hundreds of thousands more people within the country.

As of Nov. 15, World Vision staff in Bangladesh have provided emergency food relief to 135,250 people, distributed 5,000 tarps and 100 tents, and opened Child-Friendly Spaces for 1,400 children. Our six-month response plan in Bangladesh includes:

• Providing food packs for 285,250 people
• Setting up 40 Child-Friendly Spaces to help 4,000 children and 18 spaces for breastfeeding mothers
• Providing tarps, clothes, blankets, sleeping mats and kitchen supplies to 6,000 families
• Constructing water points, latrines, and bathing stalls to give thousands of people access to clean water and sanitation and hygiene facilities

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria

The 2017 hurricane season in the Caribbean and Atlantic regions has been one of historic proportions, bringing some of the strongest and wettest storms on record in hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria.

Puerto Rico is devastated and struggling to recover after Hurricane Maria, the strongest storm to hit in more than 80 years, pummeled the island territory Sept. 20. Almost two months on, most of the island is still without power. Some assessments indicate it may take six to nine months to fully restore power. In the meantime, families are struggling to maintain food and water supplies while hospitals, businesses, and schools are trying to repair damages so they can reopen. Puerto Rican authorities estimate there was $45 billion to $95 billion in damages to the power grid and other infrastructure. Many other Caribbean islands fared as badly or worse after Irma and Maria.

Houston and other cities in the southern U.S. are still recovering from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma too. After making landfall Aug. 25, Harvey dumped about 50 inches of rain on the Houston area, flooding many neighborhoods that had historically been unscathed by floodwaters. Irma hit Florida as a Category 4 storm the morning of Sept. 10, ripping off roofs, flooding coastal cities, and knocking out power to more than 6.8 million people.

“More than ever, it’s important that we not only respond to immediate needs but invest more in disaster risk reduction to prepare for future hurricanes,” Lawren says. “The U.S. coast is vulnerable and we must build back better.”

World Vision responded to all three disasters, sending dozens of semi truckloads of relief and rebuilding supplies to communities in the Houston area; Immokalee, Florida; and various sites in Puerto Rico to help some of the worst-affected storm survivors.

As of Dec. 8, World Vision and local partners have helped more than 62,000 with food, water, hygiene kits, tarps, diapers, flood clean-up kits, water filtration systems, cash gift cards, and other household necessities.

In the two months after Irma, we provided assistance to almost 20,000 people in Florida, in the form of food, water, hygiene kits, and other household items.

More than 70 semi truckloads of supplies were distributed to Houston-area residents in the first 90 days after Hurricane Harvey. That’s enough to serve more than 99,000 people with emergency relief supplies, school supplies, tents, sleeping bags, dehumidifiers, blankets, and other necessities. Thanks to a generous church partner, World Vision opened a warehouse in Houston to provide supplies to sustain recovery efforts for the foreseeable future.

Democratic Republic of Congo refugees and violence

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is rich in minerals and other natural resources, yet according to the most recent estimates, 77 percent of the population is extremely poor, living on less than $1.90 a day. Due to many years of political instability, armed conflict, and human rights violations, DRC ranks near the bottom of the world’s human development index and its per capita income is among the world’s lowest.

The people of the DRC have endured more than two decades of civil war and conflict, which has claimed as many as 6 million lives. More than 2.5 million people in Kasai, Tanganyika, and South Kivu were displaced in 2017.

Violence has continued to spread in DRC since 2016, displacing more than 4 million people internally and as refugees. More than 13 million people of DRC’s nearly 80-million population need humanitarian assistance and protection. More than 7 million people face food insecurity.

World Vision operates in 14 out of 26 provinces in the DRC. We scaled up our response in 2017 to address increasing needs. Initial interventions focus on food and child protection. Our staff on the ground reached 100,000 people with emergency food relief and plan to reach 146,000 by December 2017. World Vision has delivered relief, rehabilitation, and development programs to conflict, disaster-affected, and poverty-stricken people in the DRC since 1984.

 

Contributors: Chris Huber and Kathryn Reid, World Vision staff

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At the height of the Ebola outbreak crisis in September 2014, World Vision contacted long-time partner McKesson about the tremendous need for gloves and protective equipment in West Africa.

The McKesson Corporation, the largest healthcare services company in the United States, responded by donating 200 pallets of medical relief supplies including 4 million pairs of latex gloves. The supply was enough to meet the entire country of Sierra Leone’s needs for the next five months.

McKesson donated enough materials to meet the needs of medical workers throughout Sierra Leone for five months.

The massive shipment of medical relief supplies donated by the McKesson Corporation will help health workers to protect themselves and others from the spread of the Ebola virus.

Supplies donated by McKesson included 4 million pairs of latex gloves, 8,000 gallons of disinfectant, and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits. Each PPE kit includes gloves (surgical and examination), aprons, goggles or face shields, masks (high-filtration, surgical, and exam), caps and covers (beard covers, leg covers, and shoe covers), medical frocks, trousers, and scrubs.

With more than 21,000 cases and more than 8,400 deaths, the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa is the “largest, most severe and most complex” ever, the World Health Organization says. Sierra Leone is the worst affected country, seeing nearly half of all cases.

The World Health Organization has reported over 800 cases of infection among health care workers in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, with more than 450 of those cases resulting in death.

According to the Wall Street Journal, “Much of this toll could have been avoided or at least mitigated, hospital workers on the front lines say, if they had been provided with medical basics, starting with one of the simplest: disposable rubber gloves.”

The massive shipment of medical relief supplies donated by the McKesson Corporation will help protect health workers from infection.

“We donated 4 million pair of gloves. We donated all the hazmat suits, the goggles — all the things that you need,” said Toby Capps, a McKesson account manager who helped create the Caregiver Kit partnership.

McKesson and World Vision have partnered together for the past several years to save lives and warehouse space via excess inventory donations. Life-saving items that would end up in a landfill instead end up in the hands of doctors and nurses who desperately need them.

Donors like the McKesson Corporation keep health care workers safe and prevent the spread of disease. Join us in the fight against disease and poverty everywhere.

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In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, World Vision launched one of our largest relief operations in the Philippines, mobilizing staff across the country to respond to nearly 400,000 people affected.

Immediately following the disaster, valued partner Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. reached out and pledged to support our relief efforts in the Philippines. Royal Caribbean committed $250,000 to World Vision’s disaster response as part of our overall commitment of $1,000,000 in Philippines support.

Royal Caribbean committed $250,000 to World Vision’s disaster response in the Philippines.

“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the storm,” said Richard D. Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. “More than 12,800 of our employees call the Philippines home. We want to do everything we can to help them, their families, and their neighbors heal from this terrible tragedy.”

Royal Caribbean also committed to matching employee contributions dollar-for-dollar, and provided its guests and travel agent community with a way to donate to the cause through a World Vision web page.

Images: Our Typhoon Haiyan Response

Power outages plus the destruction of major roads, airports, and infrastructure made it incredibly difficult to reach survivors to provide urgently-needed assistance. Our teams traveled by plane, boat, and motorbike to reach these villages as quickly as possible.

Our first relief flight alone included 5,000 blankets and 3,000 tarpaulins that were used to help survivors build temporary shelters.

Partners like Royal Caribbean make it possible for us to provide critically needed supplies and support for those affected by natural disasters. And together, we made an impact on thousands of children and families in the Philippines.

Your company can make an impact when disaster strikes.

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The post Royal Caribbean supports World Vision’s disaster response in Philippines appeared first on B2B.