The intensification of the war in Ukraine since February 24, 2022, has deeply affected a generation of the country’s population: its children. Many have lost family members and loved ones, been injured, or faced drastic disruptions to their lives. Forced to leave their homes and communities, unable to attend school, and living in unsafe environments, children continue to experience challenges no one should have to face. Their needs are expected to become even more pressing with the continuation of harsh conditions, as over 2,400 children have been killed or injured since the escalation, averaging 16 child causalities per week.

Ukraine crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

Find answers to frequently asked questions about the war in Ukraine, and learn how to help children and their families.

• Fast facts: Ukraine crisis 
• What is the current situation in Ukraine?
• How many people are affected by the war in Ukraine?
• What are the widespread impacts of the crisis in Ukraine?
• How are children being impacted by the war in Ukraine?
• What’s World Vision doing to help people affected by the war in Ukraine?
• How many people has World Vision helped since the start of the war in Ukraine?
• How can I help people impacted by the crisis in Ukraine?

Fast facts: Ukraine crisis

• The conflict in Ukraine has displaced over 3.5 million people within the country and forced over 6.8 million to leave the country as of January 2025.
• The need for humanitarian assistance will remain substantial in 2025, with an estimated 12.7 million requiring humanitarian aid and protection, according to the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
• The war has sparked economic shocks and disruption with global ramifications, impacting people in poverty and contributing to an escalating global hunger crisis.
• Children are among the most affected: As of early 2023, 5.3 million children were facing educational barriers, with 3.6 million impacted by school closures. And within months of the start of the conflict 1.5 million were at risk of mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
• In response to the war, World Vision has reached over 2.26 million people in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia with lifesaving aid, shelter, child protection programs, and other essentials as of November 2024.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What is the current situation in Ukraine?

The situation in Ukraine remains dire due to ongoing hostilities since February 2022, resulting in widespread displacement and increased humanitarian needs, especially during the winter months.

War-affected areas face severe food security challenges as continued air strikes and bombings have caused extensive damage. Millions of people are living in damaged buildings without basic necessities like electricity, water, or heat. Access to essential services such as food, healthcare, education, and protection remains a daily struggle for many.

“We heavily rely on humanitarian aid now. I’m displaced — again. I had to leave my home in Donetsk Oblast when life there became unbearable. For two years, we lived without light, water, or heating. We were not living — we were just surviving,” said Iryna, 64.

The ongoing attacks on energy infrastructure across Ukraine have left many without power, heating, and water as the country prepares for winter, with temperatures expected to drop below zero degrees.

“I came to Zaporizhzhia, which is now just 35 kilometers from the frontlines. It’s a city crowded with displaced families like mine, who’ve fled the fighting. I’m a pensioner, and my allowance isn’t enough to cover basic food costs, let alone anything else. This winter terrifies me. I’m scared of being left without heat again, of freezing, of not being able to cook or afford food and medicine. I don’t know how I’ll make it through.”

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many people are affected by the war in Ukraine?

According to the United Nations (U.N.), 12.7 million people will need humanitarian aid and protection in 2025. In addition to the approximately 6.8 million refugees living outside Ukraine, millions more are still displaced within the besieged nation.

“When the entire building shakes from a rocket that has just destroyed several houses in your neighborhood, and you have no heat, no water, no gas  —  you’re sitting in the dark, sometimes with no contact with the outside world because there’s no connection — you pray once again just to survive the day, hoping to see your loved ones one more time,” said Svitlana, 61, from Marinka, Donetsk oblast.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What are the widespread impacts of the crisis in Ukraine?

One of the bloodiest conflicts in Europe since World War II, this war has devastated the lives of Ukrainian children and families but has also caused economic disruptions that impact people living in poverty far beyond Eastern Europe. The crisis continues to pose a threat to regional stability and has significantly increased humanitarian needs, particularly during the winter months amid non-stop destruction.

U.N. agencies have observed a dramatic increase in global hunger, which was already on the rise, as conflict has complicated the delivery of crucial food exports from Ukraine.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How are children being impacted by the war in Ukraine?

The war in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on children, with over 2,400 killed or injured since the conflict escalated in February 2022, an average of 16 child casualties every week, according to UNICEF.

Millions of children are caught in relentless hostilities, displacement, and shortages of essential resources like water, electricity, and healthcare. In areas directly affected by armed violence, nearly 3 million people urgently need access to warmth, clean water, and medical care. At the same time, widespread attacks have damaged schools, hospitals, and vital infrastructure, deepening the crisis.

Children continue to endure immense psychological trauma, often spending hours in basements during air raid sirens, while 1.7 million lack access to safe water, and 3.4 million are without proper sanitation, increasing their risk of disease.

“I woke up hearing the bombs dropped in our small village located near Borodyanka,” said Nina, who with her two sisters, endured shelling in northwest Kyiv, one of the first areas to be hit by airstrikes in late February 2022. Bombings forced the local school to shutter. The family, terrified of the fighting, stayed inside their home for one month. “It was a terrible time. During my visit with our next-door neighbors, we were all crying,” added Oksana, Nina’s sister.

World Vision’s programming through a local partner helped support children like Nina and her sisters with ongoing psychosocial care in Borodyanka.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What’s World Vision doing to help people affected by the war in Ukraine?

Since the onset of the conflict, World Vision has consistently delivered lifesaving aid, shelter, child protection services, and other essentials to support the most vulnerable people. We are bringing our global expertise and local partnerships to respond to the war in Ukraine and throughout impacted regions.

Operating across every administrative region, known as oblasts, in Ukraine, World Vision collaborates with trusted local and international partners — including the WFP and UNICEF — to assist communities affected by the war. We’ve also implemented a cash assistance program managed by partners in Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and Georgia.

In response to the harsh winter, we launched a comprehensive five-month winterization program, running from November 2024 through March 2025. This includes:

• Cash assistance: Offering financial support to displaced communities affected by the conflict by helping them cover heating costs; purchase winter clothing, firewood, and coal; and pay utility bills.
• Essential supplies: In partnership with local organizations, we’re distributing generators, heaters, and power banks to families and shelters in frontline areas.
• Winterization kits: These kits, containing thermal blankets, hygiene items, portable gas stoves, and gas cylinders, help families endure the freezing temperatures.

Our efforts seek to provide immediate relief and enhance resilience for those most vulnerable to the challenges of winter.

Alongside immediate relief, we are also focused on long-term support through educational programs for children and adults, psychosocial and child protection services, livelihood support, and more, aiding communities build resilience and recover from crisis.

“This winterization kit is crucial for families living close to the frontlines. These communities are hanging by a thread — with shattered windows, half-destroyed buildings, and entire neighborhoods in ruins. On top of that, energy plants are being targeted, leaving families without gas, heating, or water. Power outages are constant, making it nearly impossible to stay warm, boil water, or prepare food,” said Yurii Bezkorovainyi, director of Will Help Together, World Vision’s partner in Ukraine responsible for distributing the kits in frontline areas.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many people has World Vision helped since the start of the war in Ukraine?

We’ve been responding since the first week of the crisis. As of 2025, our staff have provided essentials for approximately 2.26 million people across the region. Here are some highlights:

• In Ukraine, our efforts have supported over 1,35 million people, nearly half of whom are children.
• In Romania, we’ve assisted more than 351,700 people with aid, including food, shelter, protection resources, and education and hygiene kits.
• In Moldova, over 510,320 people have been reached through our programming. We continue to support Moldovan families hosting refugees in 17 districts through our partnership with WFP.
• In Georgia, we’ve helped support over 39,600 people with education, child protection, and programming, including vouchers for food, hygiene, clothing, and pharmacy costs.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How can I help people impacted by the crisis in Ukraine?

• Pray: Join us in praying for the most vulnerable communities affected by the war in Ukraine.
• Give: Become a vital partner in World Vision’s work to deliver help and hope to refugees and displaced children and families.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

As of the end of 2024, 42.7 million people worldwide are refugees — people forced to flee their home countries due to conflict, violence, persecution, or human rights violations, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in its latest Global Trends report.

Each year on June 20, World Refugee Day, the United Nations and people worldwide honor the strength and resilience of refugees and raise awareness of their needs. Explore the challenges refugees face and learn more about the global refugee crisis below.

Refugees: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Refugees
• What is the definition of a refugee under international law?
• How are refugees different from asylum-seekers, internally displaced people, and migrants?
• How many displaced people are there in the world in 2025?
• What are the top refugee crises in the world right now? 
• What rights and obligations do refugees have under international law?
• How does World Vision gain access to serve refugees and displaced children and families?  
• What is World Vision doing to help refugees?
• What are some of the groups of refugees and displaced people World Vision supports?
• How can I help refugees and displaced children today?

Fast facts: Refugees

• Global displacement totals: In 2024, the number of people forcibly displaced worldwide surpassed 123 million — approximately 1 in every 67 people, according to UNHCR.
• Largest displacement crisis: Sudan now has the world’s largest displacement crisis, with 14.3 million internally displaced people and refugees, surpassing levels caused by Syria’s conflict.
• Main cause of displacement: Armed conflict remains the primary driver of displacement, causing millions to flee their homes in Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine.
• Increase in refugee returns: In 2024, 9.8 million people returned home, including 1.6 million refugees, the highest in 20 years.
• Host countries: Iran, Turkey (officially the Republic of Türkiye), Colombia, and Germany hosted the four largest populations of refugees in 2024, with 3.5 million, 2.9 million, 2.8 million, and 2.7 million, respectively.
• Impact on children: Although children make up less than a third of the global population, they accounted for more than 40% — 49 million — of the world’s refugees in 2024. Approximately 2.3 million children were born as refugees between 2018 and 2024.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Open the door to hope for refugee children.

Water is the essence of life, yet millions worldwide lack access to the clean water they need for drinking, cooking, bathing, handwashing, and growing food. Despite progress, the global water crisis continues to impact the world’s most vulnerable communities.

While the number of people lacking access to clean water has fallen from 1.1 billion in 2000 to 703 million in 2022, challenges remain. In addition to the importance of having basic access to a clean water source, there are also many opportunities to multiply the benefits of clean water through improved sanitation and hygiene behavior change.

World Water Day, observed annually on March 22, highlights the urgency of addressing the global water crisis.

Global water crisis: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Global water crisis
• Water, sanitation, and hygiene matter for children and families
• Why does World Vision combine clean water with good sanitation and hygiene? What is WASH?
• Why do people walk long distances for water instead of settling near to water sources?
• The challenges of digging wells
• Women and girls are most affected by water scarcity
• How much does equipping one person with access to clean water cost?
• World Vision’s water impact
• World Vision goals: 2023–2030
• How can I help end the global water crisis?
• Timeline of World Vision’s water work
• Milestones of the global water crisis

Fast facts: Global water crisis

• 703 million people — 1 in 11 people worldwide — lack access to clean water.
• 2.2 billion people do not have access to safely managed drinking water services.
• Women and girls around the world spend an estimated 250 million hours carrying water every day, walking on average 6 kilometers (about 3.7 miles) daily to haul 44 pounds of water.
• More than 1,000 children under 5 die every day from diseases related to lack of clean water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH).
• 1.69 billion people live without access to adequate sanitation, and 419 million people still practice open defecation.
• The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 (clean water and sanitation) aims for universal access to clean water and sanitation by 2030.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Every child deserves clean water.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene matter for children and families

Investing in clean water, sanitation, and hygiene behavior change is one of the most effective ways to improve people’s lives and tackle extreme poverty. The benefits include:

• Families becoming healthier: WASH programs work together to powerfully prevent the spread of most illnesses and are one of the most effective ways to reduce child mortality rates.
• Children getting better nourishment: Clean water and good sanitation and hygiene help kids grow taller, stronger, and healthier. They get more nutrition from their food because they’re not sick. Families can use water to irrigate their gardens to grow more nutritious food year-round.
• Children attending and succeeding in school: When children don’t have to walk long distances to get water, they have more time to attend school and more energy to learn. This is especially important for girls, who most often spend their days collecting water for their families instead of focusing on school.
• Family income improving: Families save money on healthcare, and access to clean water helps ensure income-generating activities like agriculture and small businesses.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Why does World Vision combine clean water with good sanitation and hygiene? What is WASH?

Beyond clean water, maintaining proper hygiene behavior and sanitation is crucial for overall health. When we support families with hygiene behavior change and sanitation facilities, such as latrines and handwashing stations, it not only enhances the health benefits of clean water but helps prevent the spread of illnesses and diseases. Even simple actions like handwashing can contribute to children growing taller, stronger, and healthier. Facts about water reveal that water, sanitation, and hygiene are so intertwined that they have been combined into one sector known in the global aid community as WASH.

Read how the access to clean water helped transform the lives of Grace and her family in Kenya.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Why do people walk long distances for water instead of settling near to water sources?

Many people served by World Vision are farmers who rely on their crops or livestock to survive. Families are unable to move because it costs too much to start over. In places where there is water scarcity, or where water availability changes with the seasons, some people do have to move many times. The best solution is to make a clean water source close to their homes.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

The challenges of digging wells

While some people dig their own shallow wells for groundwater, these open and unprotected wells are often contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and parasites, failing to provide clean water. Even if they’re initially safe, they risk contamination from surface water runoff, particularly in areas where open defecation is common.

World Vision provides protected and permanent water sources using technologies best suited to each context where we work. Water taps are commonly built from piped-water systems, connecting clean sources like drilled boreholes or protected springs to a distribution network. For drilled wells, a borehole area with a cement slab prevents contamination during rainfall. Water undergoes rigorous testing before community access.

Communities are trained to maintain cleanliness around water points and manage systems for continuous water flow. This effort ensures that the community has a lasting and reliable water source.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Women and girls are most affected by water scarcity

Women and girls carry the greatest burden of the global water crisis because they’re most likely to be responsible for hauling water to their homes in the developing world.

• Daily water collection: Women and girls spend an estimated 250 million hours collecting water every day.
• Water access in the developing world: Women and girls walk an average of 6 kilometers — about 3.7 miles — to carry 44 pounds of water every day. This daily task saps their energy for other activities and robs them of the opportunity to spend this time with family or to pursue school and income-generating activities to improve their lives.
• Menstrual health and education: Girls who attend school until adolescence are more likely to drop out when they start menstruating unless their school has clean water, latrines, sanitary supplies, and support for hygiene behavior change. Helping young women to manage menstrual health is not only about providing appropriate facilities, but also addressing social norms.
• Maternal and newborn health: The lack of clean water, sanitation facilities, and proper hygiene contributes to high rates of disease and death among birthing mothers and newborns in the developing world. In areas where World Vision works, half of the health clinics don’t have clean water, and 5 in 6 don’t even have basic handwashing facilities.

World Vision is accelerating our push to ensure health clinics have access to clean water, latrines, and handwashing facilities so moms can have safer deliveries.

As a global leader in partnering with rural health clinics, we’re dedicated to providing 3,000 healthcare facilities with clean water access by 2030. This initiative includes upgrading every health center, everywhere we work in Rwanda, Niger, and Zambia, serving an estimated 2.7 million people.

Read about the burden 12-year-old Faith must carry to care for her family in Mozambique.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How much does equipping one person with access to clean water cost?

The average cost for World Vision to equip one person with access to clean water is $50. This covers the initial access and ensures long-term upkeep of wells and water points for generational impact. And by leveraging other resources, such as child sponsorship and local funds, each person who benefits from clean water is also trained and equipped to practice safe sanitation and hygiene.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

World Vision’s impact

World Vision is the leading nongovernmental provider of clean water in the developing world. Our goal is to ensure vulnerable people, including those with disabilities, in disease-burdened rural areas have access to clean water, improved sanitation, and hygiene behavior-change programming. Some key achievements include:

• Reaching one new person every 10 seconds with clean water, and one new person with a handwashing facility as well.
• Supporting 14,175 schools and 4,940 healthcare facilities, and more than 9.4 million households during the COVID-19 pandemic through access to clean water from 2020 to 2022.
• More than 1,200 World Vision WASH professionals and thousands of development professionals live and work in communities worldwide to co-create lasting solutions.

World Vision’s impact is sustained through water sources that continue to flow. With an average investment of 10 to 15 years in a community, we cultivate local ownership and train people to manage and maintain water points. Facts about water sustainability reveal that ongoing maintenance is crucial for ensuring long-term access. To reach our goal of helping end the global water crisis in our lifetimes, we:

• Drill and rehabilitate wells, develop piped-water systems, and create other vital water points
• Teach local community members how to keep water flowing
• Oversee the building of latrines and handwashing facilities
• Promote healthy hygiene practices through behavior change programming

BACK TO QUESTIONS

 

Lisa (shown above) and her family, who live in a floating community in Cambodia, now enjoy access to clean water through the Safe Drinking Water for Cambodia project. In partnership with World Vision and Procter & Gamble (P&G), they use P&G water purifiers to ensure their water is safe for drinking, cooking, and daily use. This program has improved their health and reduced the high costs of buying water.

Before receiving the P&G products, Lisa’s mother said, “… I used water from the lake for cooking and drinking.” She said she didn’t realize the bacteria she was ingesting until they started using the purifier.

Lisa said that she and her friends enjoy clean water and together fill a 10-liter container with water, add one P&G purification sachet, and wait for the 20-minute or so process to work. “I am happy to use P&G purify water products,” she says.

Through this program, 6,015 students in 33 schools and 6,254 households were supported with over 3.96 million P&G water purifier sachets like the one shown above. Also, 2,143 children participated in water and hygiene education programs, and 11 hygiene facilities were built in schools.

World Vision goals: 2023–2030

Together with our donors and partners, we are committed to reaching everyone, everywhere we work with clean water. Between 2023 and 2030, we will reach 30 million people with access to clean water.

Our global WASH program specifically promotes the inclusion of the most vulnerable men, women, and children. It will ensure that people with disabilities, those affected by HIV and AIDS, and other vulnerable groups in each area are actively included and benefit from hygiene messaging and increased access to sustainable clean water and improved sanitation.

We believe through partnering with local governments, communities, and other humanitarian organizations, collectively we can achieve this goal. In 2024, we equipped 3.1 million people with safer, more accessible water, 2.4 million people with household sanitation, and 2.8 million people with household handwashing facilities.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How can I help end the global water crisis?

You can help families in need gain access to clean water by partnering with World Vision. Here’s how:

• Pray: Join us in praying for people in vulnerable communities in need of clean water.
• Give: Help equip children and families with lasting access to clean water.
• Get involved: Walk, run, or roll World Vision’s Global 6K for Water® on May 17, 2025, to empower children worldwide with clean water access. You can also make a long-term commitment to join Team World Vision in the race to empower children and families around the world with clean water.

Read how one grandmother and her granddaughter have raised funds for clean water for over a decade.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Timeline of World Vision’s water work

1960s: World Vision started small water projects.

Early 1980s: Severe droughts in Africa focused the world’s attention on the urgent need for clean, accessible water.

1985: World Vision began water drilling projects in Ghana.

1990: World Vision increased its commitment to clean water, and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation partners in the Ghana water effort.

2000s: We scaled up water work.

• 2003: Our West Africa Water Initiative extended drilling into Mali and Niger.
• 2005: West Africa’s 2,000th well was drilled in Ghana.
• 2006: Large-scale water work began in Ethiopia.
• 2009: Large-scale water work began in Zambia, including promoting safe sanitation and hygiene practices.

Read how Max Lucado encountered the realities of dirty water in Ethiopia.

2010s: We expanded our reach and dug deep.

• 2011: World Vision began an intentional scale-up of WASH activities in 10 countries in Africa. The number of people with clean water access increases 20-fold when comparing 2010 to 2016.
• 2012: WASH programming began in Honduras.
• 2013: WASH programs began in India. World Vision and P&G celebrate a partnership that has provided 1 billion liters of purified water, hosting former President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton to see the impact in Rwanda.
• 2014: A University of North Carolina independent study revealed that nearly 80% of World Vision wells in Ghana still functioned at high levels, even after 20 years. The 1,000th productive well was drilled in Mali. In December, the U.S. Congress passed Water for the World Act, prioritizing the provision of clean water and sanitation for the world’s most vulnerable people. World Vision started reaching one person every 30 seconds with clean water.
• 2015: In September, driven by a $40 million gift to our water programs by Dana and Dave Dornsife, World Vision announced plans to reach one new person with clean water every 10 seconds by 2020 — with the vision of achieving universal water access everywhere we work.
• 2016: World Vision expanded our WASH work into more countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, along with the Middle East, reaching 4.6 million new people with clean water.
• 2017: World Vision achieved the milestone of reaching one new person every 10 seconds with clean water. In June, World Vision drilled our 1,500th borehole well in Mali since 2003.

2020s: We set ambitious goals.

• 2020: Amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, World Vision reached our five-year goal of helping 20 million people around the world get lasting access to clean water.
• 2023: We exceeded our goal to make clean water available for everyone, everywhere we work in Rwanda, ultimately reaching over 1.1 million people.
• 2030: World Vision aims to reach 50 million people with access to clean water between 2015 and 2030. As part of this commitment, we reached 25.5 million people between 2016 and 2022.

Learn more about World Vision’s water work.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Milestones of the global water crisis

1700s to 1800s: Industrialization led to increased urbanization in Europe, highlighting the need for clean water supplies and sanitation.

1800s: Water shortages first appeared in historical records.

1854: Dr. John Snow discovered the link between water and the spread of cholera during an outbreak in London.

1866: In the United States, there were 136 public water systems; by the turn of the century, there were 3,000.

1900: Since 1900, more than 11 million people had lost their lives to drought, and more than 2 billion people have been affected.

1972: The U.S. Clean Water Act updated 1948 legislation to control water pollution and funded construction of sewage treatment plants.

1993: The U.N. General Assembly designated March 22 as World Water Day.

2000: The U.N. member states set Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for development progress, including a 2015 target to halve the number of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

2003: UN-Water was founded as a coordinating platform for sanitation and freshwater access issues.

2005: About 35% of the global population experienced chronic water shortages, up from 9% in 1960.

2005 to 2015: U.N. member states prioritized water and sanitation development during the International Decade for Action “Water for Life.”

2008: The U.N.-recognized International Year of Sanitation prioritized health and dignity.

2010: The MDGs’ clean water access target was achieved five years ahead of schedule. More than 2 billion people gained access to safe drinking water since 1990. The U.N. General Assembly recognized the right of each person to have adequate supplies of water for personal and domestic use that were physically accessible, equitably distributed, safe, and affordable.

2013: The U.N. designated November 19 as World Toilet Day to highlight the global issue that billions of people still don’t have access to proper sanitation.

2015: About 2.6 billion people have had access to clean water in the last 25 years, and about 1.4 billion gained access to basic sanitation since 2000. The U.N. member states signed on to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — successors to the MDGs, that promise clean water and sanitation for all by 2030.

2018: U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres made a global call to action for WASH in all healthcare facilities, citing their crucial role in disease prevention and reduction. Without basic WASH services, health centers could contribute to more infections and preventable deaths for mothers and newborns.

2020: Globally, about 1.8. billion patients and health workers faced a higher risk of COVID-19 infection and other diseases due to the lack of basic water and sanitation facilities at health services, according to WHO and the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

2023: Up to an estimated 3 billion people globally faced water shortages. This crisis is set to escalate in the coming decades, particularly in urban areas, without enhanced international cooperation. These findings are from the U.N. World Water Development Report 2023. The report revealed that 2 billion people (26% of the population) lack safe drinking water, while 3.6 billion (46%) lack access to safely managed sanitation.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

The emergence of the coronavirus pandemic in late 2019, and its associated disease, COVID-19, left an indelible mark on the world. Beyond its immediate health implications, the pandemic has threatened progress in reducing global poverty and income inequalities. Of particular concern is the long-term impact on children in areas such as education, mental health, and protection from exploitation. These challenges have further hindered progress toward achieving the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality).

COVID-19 pandemic: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

• Fast facts: Coronavirus and COVID-19
• What do I need to know about the coronavirus and COVID-19?
• Is the coronavirus worse than the flu?
• World Vision’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.?
• World Vision’s response to the coronavirus pandemic worldwide?
• How many people has World Vision supported during the pandemic?
• What has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children?
• How has the pandemic affected sponsored children?
• How can I help people made more vulnerable by emergencies like the pandemic?
• Resources to learn more about COVID-19
• 2025 update on COVID-19 and timeline

Fast facts: Coronavirus and COVID-19

• Global statistics: As of January 2025, over 777 million COVID-19 cases and 7 million deaths have been recorded worldwide since December 2019.
• U.S. statistics: While data was collected from January 2020 to March 2023, the United States led globally with nearly 104 million reported cumulative cases and more than 1.1 million recorded deaths.
• The virus and its variants: SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, was identified on December 31, 2019. Variants such as Omicron continue to evolve, with some being more transmissible than earlier strains.
• Child poverty: In just two years, an estimated 100 million more children have fallen into poverty, a 10% increase since 2019. Today, an estimated 356 million children live in extreme poverty.
• Child marriage risks: Up to 10 million more girls are at risk of becoming child brides due to the pandemic.
• Education disruption: Over 1.6 billion children worldwide experienced school closures at some time during the pandemic, leading to significant learning losses.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What do I need to know about the coronavirus and COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses named for crownlike spikes on their surfaces. COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, which spreads through respiratory droplets from coughs, sneezes, or speech.

COVID-19 symptoms: Fever, cough, difficulty breathing, chills and shaking, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or a loss of sense of taste or smell. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia and severe acute respiratory syndrome.

Variants: New variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, will continue to evolve as they spread and replicate. Some disappear. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks and continues to monitor variants.

Learn more from the CDC’s latest update on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Is the coronavirus worse than the flu?

COVID-19 is more infectious and severe than the flu, with a higher mortality rate and limited preexisting immunity. While both are contagious respiratory illnesses, the novel coronavirus causes more widespread and prolonged disruptions to health and society, according to the CDC.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

World Vision’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.?

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, World Vision acted quickly to support vulnerable families across the U.S. by distributing Family Emergency Kits in key locations, including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle. Each kit included essential supplies — nutritious food for a family of five for a week, along with hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, first-aid antiseptic, paper products, and children’s games and school supplies — helping families during this challenging time.

Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, we distributed 87,600 Family Emergency Kits, serving more than 328,700 children and adults through our church partners as of February 1, 2024. In partnership with the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, we also distributed more than 3.6 million Fresh Food Boxes to nearly 14.3 million people across the U.S. through a network of over 1,300 churches between May 2020 and May 2021.

World Vision also supplied more than 3 million items of personal protective equipment to healthcare systems, first responders, and schools across the U.S., including a distribution to the Navajo Nation.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

World Vision’s response to the coronavirus pandemic worldwide?

World Vision prioritized our COVID-19 response in every country where we work. Our global response focused on four main objectives, with programs that were adapted based on context and local need:

• Scaling up preventive measures to slow the spread
• Strengthening healthcare systems and workers
• Supporting children impacted by the effects of the pandemic
• Collaborating and advocating with partners to ensure that vulnerable children got the care they need

We served vulnerable populations in countries where the health systems and monitoring were weak; where people have been suffering from diseases common among impoverished populations, such as malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV and AIDS, and Ebola; or where severe malnutrition compromised immune systems.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How many people has World Vision supported during the pandemic?

World Vision has supported more than 99 million people globally to stay safe during the pandemic with supplies and information about protecting themselves from COVID-19, including handwashing, social distancing, mask usage, hygiene practices, and vaccines. As of September 2022, marking the end of our program’s reporting, here are response highlights:

• Partnered with more than 207,614 faith leaders to ensure vulnerable families have information on COVID-19 prevention and care and vaccines.
• Distributed more than 12.8 million supplies, including handwashing materials, hygiene kits, and cleaning kits, to keep communities safe.
• Established or maintained nearly 297,000 facilities, like community handwashing stations, school toilets, household latrines with handwashing facilities, clean drinking water systems, and community drainage systems, to limit the spread of COVID-19.
• Reached more than 54 million people with health interventions, including preventative behavior and vaccine messaging, safe quarantine and/or isolation spaces, and transportation support and services.
• Trained 291,430 community health workers in COVID-19 prevention measures, including vaccines.
• Aided more than 5.2 million people with educational materials, support, or training so children could keep learning during pandemic-related school closures.
• Helped more than 13 million people in 64 countries with cash and vouchers or food assistance.
• Supported over 1.9 million children with child protection activities.
• Assisted more than 5 million people with psychosocial support or age-specific health information, education, and communication materials.
• Equipped people and communities to recover and thrive during COVID-19 through VisionFund’s microfinancing, recovery loans, and savings groups.

Vaccines play a critical role for the most vulnerable 

In 2022, World Vision reached more than 10.5 million people, including 4.2 million children, with support for vaccine programs and interventions to reduce the pandemic’s indirect impacts on the most vulnerable people.

Globally and through our local staff, World Vision has extensive experience confronting pandemics, supporting vaccination programs, and improving child health. We worked alongside our partners to implement immunization campaigns and ensure communities understood the benefits of a COVID-19 vaccination. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines for vulnerable people globally will continue to enormously benefit the hundreds of millions of children whom the pandemic has negatively impacted by giving them a lifeline to return to their childhoods. Vaccines are a game changer for children, as they allow kids to resume school and families to recover their livelihoods.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

What has been the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children?

The pandemic has had profound and lasting effects on children worldwide, impacting their health, education, and overall well-being. For many children in developing countries, the effects of the pandemic have also increased poverty, hunger, and the risk of child marriage, child labor, gender-based violence, and exploitation.

• An estimated 5.2 million children worldwide have lost a primary or secondary caregiver due to COVID-19.
• In 2021, experts estimated that an additional 8.9 million children will have engaged in child labor by the end of 2022 due to rising poverty driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Following abrupt drops in household incomes; disruptions to the supply of affordable, nutritious foods; and interruptions to health, nutrition, and social protection services, up to 15% more children suffered from wasting in 2020 compared with projections for 2020 without COVID-19.

The pandemic also ushered in new challenges for children’s mental health or intensified pre-existing mental health issues.

World Vision, in partnership with War Child, examined the impact of COVID-19 on the mental and psychosocial well-being of children living in conflict-affected countries, including Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jordan, Lebanon, and South Sudan. According to the 2021 study, the number of refugee children who said they needed mental health support had more than tripled because of COVID-19.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How has the pandemic affected sponsored children?

World Vision worked diligently to help protect children from the indirect effects of the COVID-19 disease, like hunger and extreme poverty. Through our child sponsorship programs, we:

1. 1. Assessed local situations and responded in the most appropriate ways
   2. Trained staff, community volunteers, and partners on the prevention of COVID-19 and access of care and treatment
   3. Worked with local health authorities and community organizations to spread accurate information about COVID-19, including the importance of vaccination when available, to families and communities

BACK TO QUESTIONS

How can I help people made more vulnerable by emergencies like the pandemic?

You can help bring hope to people who have been made more vulnerable by crises like the pandemic.

• Pray: Join us in praying for all those affected by this pandemic and its lasting impacts.
• Give: Your gift can help deliver hope and meet practical needs of  children and their families during emergencies.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Resources to learn more about COVID-19

• U.S. COVID-19 data: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides detailed case trends, hospitalizations, and variant tracking.
• Global COVID-19 insights: The World Health Organization (WHO) offers international data on COVID-19 transmission and variant tracking.
• Comprehensive COVID-19 graphs: Our World in Data presents in-depth visual trends on cases, deaths, and vaccinations worldwide.

2025 update on COVID-19 and timeline

December 2019

• December 31: In Wuhan, China, reports surface of people with pneumonia due to an unknown cause. Between December 31 and January 3, national authorities in China report 44 cases to the World Health Organization (WHO).

January 2020

• January 9: The first confirmed death from the outbreak occurs.
• January 11: The National Health Commission in China informs the WHO that the outbreak is linked to exposure to the seafood and live animal market in Wuhan. Meanwhile, Chinese authorities identify a novel (new) coronavirus.
• January 12: Chinese health officials share the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus for countries to use in developing specific diagnostic kits.
• January 21: The WHO confirms 314 cases of the new coronavirus, 309 of which are in China. Other countries reporting cases include Thailand, Japan, and the Republic of Korea. The CDC confirms the first case in the United States — a person in Washington state who returned from Wuhan on January 15. The death toll rises to six. Many people affected have underlying health issues, according to Reuters.
• January 24: Reported cases around the world increase to 846, with 830 in China. Singapore and Viet Nam report their first cases, and a second case is identified in the U.S. — a person who lives in Illinois and recently visited Wuhan. The death toll increases to 25.
• January 25: The WHO confirms 1,320 cases globally. Australia, Nepal, and France report their first cases. A third U.S. case is identified in Orange County, California — a person who had recently traveled to Wuhan. Forty-one people have died so far, all in China.
• January 28: Global cases jump to 4,593, with 4,537 in China. The death toll increases to 106, and three more countries — Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and Germany — report cases.
  • An airliner with about 210 U.S. citizens, mostly consulate personnel and their families, leave Wuhan for the United States. CDC officials recommend avoiding all travel to China and expand airport health screenings to 20 U.S. locations.
  • Scientists in Australia become the first to recreate the new coronavirus outside of China.
• January 30: The global case total jumps to 7,818, with China accounting for 7,736. Outside of China, 82 cases have been identified in 18 different countries. The WHO reports cases in Malaysia, the Philippines, India, and Finland. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte confirms Italy has its first two cases during a press conference.
  • The CDC confirms the first human-to-human transmission in the United States.
  • U.S. President Donald J. Trump announces the formation of a coronavirus task force to lead America’s response to the outbreak.
  • The WHO emergency committee makes a nearly unanimous decision to declare a public health emergency of international concern.

February 2020

• February 11: The WHO names the illness COVID-19, based on its origin in 2019 and the coronavirus that causes it.
• February 14: A Chinese tourist who tested positive for COVID-19 dies in France, becoming the first person to die from the epidemic in Europe. The same day, Egyptian officials announce the country’s first case of COVID-19, according to a joint statement by Egypt’s Ministry of Health and the WHO. This is the first confirmed case in Africa.

March 2020

• March 11: The WHO declares COVID-19 a pandemic.
• March 12: The global case total passes 128,000 people, with the death toll now at over 4,700 people.
  • Travel bans cascade around the globe.
  • Wall Street suffers its worst day since 1987 as virus fears spread.
  • Events across the U.S. are canceled or postponed. Many universities and schools temporarily close or announce a move to online learning. Professional and collegiate sports seasons are also affected, including the NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS, and the NCAA, which cancels the annual March Madness basketball tournament.
• March 16: Coronavirus vaccine testing begins in the U.S. Even if the research goes well, a vaccine wouldn’t be available for widespread use for 12 to 18 months, says Dr. Anthony Fauci of the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
• March 17: Coronavirus cases have now been identified in all 50 U.S. states.
• March 26: The overall number of cases passes 550,000 worldwide, with more than 175 countries reportedly affected. The U.S. now leads the world in the number of confirmed cases.

April 2020

• April 2: Cases worldwide top 1 million. More than 200,000 people in the U.S. have been infected.
• April 11: Cases in the U.S. surpass 500,000.
• April 27: Cases worldwide reach 3 million, with 185 countries now affected by the pandemic.

May 2020

• May 9: Cases worldwide top 4 million.

July 2020

• July 8: Globally, the coronavirus has infected more than 11.8 million. Cases in the U.S. surpass 3 million.
• July 14: The CDC recommends Americans wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• July 22: Global cases exceed 15 million.
• July 27: Phase III clinical trials for a COVID-19 vaccine, developed by Moderna, begin in the United States.

August 2020

• August 1: Mexico’s COVID-19 death toll becomes the third highest in the world. Mississippi records the highest COVID-19 positivity rate in the nation.
• August 6: Africa’s cases surpass 1 million, with South Africa accounting for more than half.
• August 10: Moderna and U.S. federal officials reach a deal to supply the United States with 100 million doses of Moderna’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine.
• August 13: The WHO reports that the COVID-19 pandemic is costing the global economy over $375 billion per month, citing International Monetary Fund research.

September 2020

• September 29: Global deaths surpass 1 million. Deaths from coronavirus-related illnesses have doubled in just three months, led by fatalities in the U.S., Brazil, and India. The NFL reports its first COVID-19 outbreak.
• September 30: The WHO announces nearly $1 billion to fight COVID-19 and to make sure poor countries receive treatments and vaccines against the disease.

October 2020

• October 1: U.S. President Donald J. Trump and first lady Melania Trump test positive for COVID-19.
• October 8: The White House COVID-19 outbreak reaches at least 34 people.
• October 28: The U.S. announces it will provide no-cost access to the COVID-19 vaccine, once available, for all Americans.
• October 29: WHO officials announce that Europe is again the epicenter of the pandemic.
• October 30: Cases in the U.S. surpass 9 million.

November 2020

• November 4: The United States passes 100,000 new daily COVID-19 cases for the first time.
• November 17: New unemployment claims in the U.S. fall below 1 million for the first time since March.

December 2020

• December 11: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issues the first emergency use authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine to Pfizer-BioNTech.
• December 14: The death toll in the United States surpasses 300,000. COVID-19 moves ahead of heart disease as the leading cause of death in the nation.
• December 18: The FDA authorizes Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in the U.S. 
• December 20: Several European countries impose travel restrictions after new coronavirus variants are identified there. The new variants begin to emerge in the U.S., with the first case reported in late December.
• December 21: The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved by the European Union.

January 2021

• January 14: A WHO team of scientists arrive in Wuhan, as China ramps up efforts to contain a resurgence of COVID-19 infections in China’s northeast.
• January 19: The U.S. surpasses 400,000 coronavirus–related deaths.

February 2021

• February 22: The U.S. passes 500,000 coronavirus–related deaths.
• February 26: The United States administers 70.5 million COVID-19 vaccines.
• February 27: The FDA authorizes the Johnson & Johnson vaccine for emergency use in the U.S.

March 2021

• March 11: Brazil’s intensive care units surpass 90% capacity in 15 capitals as the pandemic flares up. Researchers in Brazil identify two cases of simultaneous infection with two different coronavirus variants.
• March 17: The European Union unveils its plans for vaccine passports, while the United Kingdom considers a vaccine passport option for summer travel.

April 2021

• April 23: The FDA announces its first full approval of a COVID-19 vaccine, produced by Pfizer-BioNTech.

May 2021

• May 7: India is experiencing a deadly second wave of COVID-19 infections. The world’s second-most populous country records 414,188 new cases in one day — a record high.
• May 10: The FDA approves Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccination for children as young as 12.
• May 12: The Red Cross warns that cases are exploding across Asia, with more than 5.9 million new confirmed infections in the past two weeks. India’s death toll surpasses 250,000.
• May 13: The CDC announces that fully vaccinated Americans do not need to wear a mask indoors or outdoors or follow physical distancing guidelines. Guidelines will still apply for travel and public transit.

June 2021

• June 10: Over 172 million people in the U.S. have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the CDC. More than 873 million people worldwide have received at least one dose, according to the WHO.
• June 19: Brazil reports a total of more than 500,000 deaths from COVID-19, the world’s second-highest confirmed death toll.

July 2021

• July 15: Coronavirus–related deaths rise sharply in Africa, where countries face shortages in oxygen and intensive care beds. The number of deaths rise more than 40% this week, reaching 6,273 — nearly 1,900 more than the week before.
• July 17: The first case of COVID-19 is detected in Tokyo’s Olympic village.
• July 29: President Joe Biden calls on school districts to host pop-up clinics in order to vaccinate more children 12 and older against COVID-19 as worries intensify that the upcoming school year will be interrupted by the delta variant. The CDC describes the delta variant as being as transmissible as chickenpox.

August 2021

• August 2: The United States reaches a 70% vaccination rate.
• August 5: California becomes the first U.S. state to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for all health workers.
• August 23: The FDA grants full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

September 2021

• September 22: The FDA authorizes Pfizer-BioNTech booster shots for Americans over 65 or who are at risk of severe COVID-19 complications.

October 2021

• October 20: The FDA recommends a Moderna booster for people 65 and older and the immunocompromised.
• October 29: The FDA approves the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use in children ages 5 to 11.

November 2021

• November 1: The global death toll surpasses 5 million.
• November 2: The CDC recommends pediatric COVID-19 vaccines for children 5 to 11.
• November 19: The FDA authorizes booster shots of both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for everyone 18 and older.
• November 26: WHO officials classify omicron as a SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern.

December 2021

• December 27: The CDC shortens the recommended COVID-19 isolation period to five days.

January 2022

• January 3: The FDA authorizes the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster shots for children 12 to 15.
• January 5: The United States joins Brazil, Hungary, Israel, Italy, and the Philippines in reporting cases of “flurona,” or COVID-19 and Influenza coinfection.

February 2022

• February 15: The Pan-American Health Organization delivers 100 million vaccines to Latin America and the Caribbean via COVAX.
• February 18: The U.S. announces increased vaccine assistance to 11 African countries through its new Initiative for Global Vaccine Access.

March 2022

• March 20: The CDC reports a surge in U.S. hospitalizations of young children with COVID-19 during omicron wave.
• March 24: The WHO identifies the omicron BA.2 “stealth variant” as the dominant strain of omicron worldwide, making up a majority of cases.

April 2022

• April 13: The CDC extends mask requirements, set to expire April 18, to allow more time to study omicron subvariants circulating in the U.S.
• April 18: A federal judge in Florida voids the federal government’s nationwide mask order for public transit, commercial flights, and transportation hubs such as airports and train stations.

July 2022

• July 13: Novavax approved in the U.S. for use in people who haven’t yet been vaccinated.
• July 21: President Biden tests positive for COVID-19 and experiences mild symptoms.

September 2022

• September 14: The World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says, “We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic,” but warned that if the world doesn’t take the opportunity now, there’s still a risk of more variants, deaths, disruption, and uncertainty.

2023

• January 25: The government of North Korea imposes a five-day lockdown on Pyongyang, its capital city, after a spike in respiratory illness..
• January 30: President Biden informs Congress that his administration will not seek a renewal of the public health emergency for COVID-19 after it expires on May 11, 2023.
• May 5: WHO officials announce the end of the emergency phase of COVID-19.
• July 6: China reports a rise in COVID-19 deaths in June following the lift of most containment regulations.
• July 31: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services establishes the Office of Long COVID Research and Practice to lead the national response to Long COVID and help coordinate the launch of Long COVID-related clinical trials.

2025:

• February 2025: Health experts have reported a smaller wave of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. compared to past winters. This trend is attributed to high immunity levels from earlier infections and vaccinations and fewer new variants leading to diminished transmission.

BACK TO QUESTIONS

Sevil Omer, Heather Klinger, and Kristy J. O’Hara-Glaspie of World Vision’s U.S. staff contributed to this article.