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World Vision – connecting people and fighting poverty

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World Vision is a Christian charity and one of the world's leading relief and development agencies.Right now, around the world, we are working in partnership with more than 100 million people in nearly 100 countries in their struggle against poverty, hunger and injustice, irrespective of their religious beliefs. Worldwide, we employ over 20,000 people and well over 90% of our staff work from their own home country.In the UK, World Vision is one of the members of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). We are also a member of British Overseas NGO's for Development (BOND) and a member of the Consortium for Street Children (CSC). World Vision works in three main areas: Emergency relief Long term development Advocacy

Emergency relief:

World Vision responds to a wide range of crises caused by natural disasters, war and conflict. We don’t just deal with the immediate problems. We work with those affected long after the TV cameras have moved on.

Our Global Rapid Response team can respond to a major emergency anywhere in the world within 72 hours. Often, we are already working in a country, enabling us to respond even quicker. For example when the tsunami hit Sri Lanka, we were able to respond immediately to distribute food, water, shelter and medical care.

We also are working hard to improve communities’ ability to avoid disasters and cope with them when they occur. For example, in Bangladesh we are working hard with communities to deal with the effects of regular cyclones and flooding.

Long term development:

At World Vision, we believe the key to lasting change is empowering communities to identify their own needs, plan their own development and take the lead in making it happen. Our Area Development Programmes (ADP's) are designed to work right at the heart of such community development. Each of these programmes is a long-term commitment, usually for periods of 12 to 15 years.

A community may need help to grow enough food to eat and to increase access to education, healthcare or clean water. We seek to improve peoples’ incomes too, so they will become self-supporting. World Vision Alternative Gifts have also been requested as part of projects in many of these communities.

Advocacy

World Vision is also dedicated to dealing with the root causes of poverty. That means working with influential people at all levels of government and within institutions (both international and local).

Internationally, our lobbying has made a direct impact on the availability of resources for orphans affected by HIV and AIDS. On a national level, we have made a difference on various important issues, such as child trafficking. While locally, we are helping smaller communities to lobby for direct action themselves, for issues such as access to education.

In all areas of our work, World Vision is always sure to remain focused on ensuring the needs and rights of children are met, because they are often the hardest hit by conflict, disaster and poverty

For more information on how World Vision works Disaster Management, Development and Advocacy. Visit www.worldvision.org.uk.

When did it all start?

World Vision was first established in the USA back in 1950, opening its UK office in 1982. The organisation has now grown to become a world leader in the field of emergency relief, long term development and advocating to deal with the root causes of poverty.

World Vision Alternative Gifts began in the UK in October 2000. We were instrumental in getting the idea going in the UK. Since then, people buying alternative gifts have raised over £12 million for life changing projects all across the world! In Christmas 2007 and Spring 2008 World Vision Alternative Gifts will be supporting 34 projects in 16 countries.

For more information on our projects, click here

How do Alternative Gifts fit with our development work?

The idea behind World Vision Alternative Gifts is simple – to help some of the world's poorest communities make their way out of poverty. The gifts are selected according to the insight gained from our long-term Area Development Programmes (ADP’s). Community leaders and local committees, helped by our dedicated national staff, identify project needs and priorities. It’s these projects which your gifts will fund. So you can be confident that every alternative gift has been asked for by a community where we are working.

An example from Bolivia:

In order to help identify the root causes of people’s poverty and to find practical, long-lasting solutions that break the vicious cycle of poverty, World Vision works with each and every community individually.

For example, in Bolivia, there is a lack of suitable farming land in the community. One way to tackle this is to use the land they do have to provide good breeding llamas, which can survive on less fertile land. They can provide the community with good quality wool, which can be sold for a higher price and so create more income.

To see how it all works on the ground, click here and find out more about what is going on with World Vision Alternative Gifts around the world.