World Vision at a glance

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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.

Worldwide some 45,000 staffers operate in approximately 100 countries throughout Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Asia and the Americas. For example:

• Emergency relief: World Vision responded to some 87 emergencies in fiscal year 2012 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 Mali, Lebanon (Syrian refugee crisis), Haiti, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Somalia.
• Child sponsorship: More than 4.2 million children are assisted through sponsorship programs worldwide.
• Food aid: World Vision distributed 61,000 metric tons of food for the United Nations' World Food Programme and U.S. government programs in fiscal 2012.
• Clean water: In 2012, nearly 955,000 children and adults in 10 African countries gained access to clean water through our combined water, sanitation and hygiene efforts, including the drilling of 1,207 wells, the rehabilitation of 371 nonfunctioning wells, and the development of 1,356 water points from alternative systems.
• Microfinance: In 2012, 806,575 men and women in 35 developing countries started or expanded their own business with small loans received through World Vision’s microfinance programs.

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 2.2 million American children and adults received necessities like clothing, school supplies and building materials in 2012.

The overwhelming majority of our staffers 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.

How is World Vision funded?

About 81 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 2012.

In 2012, 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
• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

In fiscal 2012, 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.