World Vision at a glance

What is World Vision?

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.

What Does World Vision do?

World Vision provides emergency and hunger relief, long-term community development programs, agricultural development assistance and leadership training. The organization also educates the public on poverty- and justice-related issues and advocates on behalf of the poor and children in crisis.

A worldwide staff of about 40,000 operates in approximately 100 countries throughout Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. For example:

• Emergency relief: World Vision responded to some 80 emergencies in fiscal 2010 alone by providing food aid, basic supplies and child-protection centers.
• Humanitarian crises: World Vision is responding to complex humanitarian emergencies around the globe, including Haiti, DRC, Sudan and Somalia.
• Child sponsorship: Nearly 4 million children are assisted through sponsorship programs worldwide.
• Food aid: World Vision distributed 169,000 metric tons of food for the United Nations' World Food Programme and U.S. government programs in fiscal 2010.
• Clean water: In 2010, World Vision dug 305 wells in West Africa, expanding access to clean water to an additional 151,500 people in the region.
• HIV and AIDS: World Vision’s care and prevention work in AIDS-affected communities started in 1990 in Uganda, and is now in 60 countries, including most of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Development: In 2010, more than 638,000 men and women in 40 developing countries began building their own businesses with small loans received through World Vision’s microfinance programs

The overwhelming majority of our staff are nationals from the countries in which they work. When possible, our programs are carried out with local partners such as community associations, national development groups and churches. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.

In the U.S., World Vision connects and assists local leaders, churches and organizations to help families break the cycle of poverty in impoverished communities. More than 3.2 million children and adults received necessities like clothing, school supplies and building materials in 2010. Thousands of at-risk youth were mentored and tutored.

How is World Vision funded?

About 75 percent of resources are donated by private individuals, corporations, churches and foundations, with the remainder from public grants. Many donors learn about World Vision through public awareness programs, church and civic campaigns, television specials and mailings.

World Vision in the U.S. raised more than $1 billion in cash, product and other donations in fiscal 2010.

In 2010, our effective work was supported by more than one million individual donors, thousands of churches and businesses, and hundreds of foundations, organizations, and government agencies around the world. Those include:

• U.S. Agency for International Development
• Microsoft
• Proctor & Gamble
• Walmart
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

In fiscal 2010, 85 percent of all donations to World Vision in the United States were used for current and future ministry programs, including overseas relief and development programs, as well as U.S. projects.