World Vision Responds to President Bush's Call for Individuals to Take Action to Help Tsunami Victims
Relief Organization Reports On-The-ground Efforts to Provide Vital Supplies in Nine Asian Countries: Encourages Individual Donations as well as Government Funds from the U.S.
January 3, 2005
In response to President Bush's call for generosity, World Vision made public its efforts to provide relief to tsunami victims, which began hours after disaster struck the coasts of many southern Asian nations.
World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization has been providing relief in most of the areas impacted by the tsunami, with 3,700 staff on the ground in the five hardest hit countries alone. Over the last eight days, World Vision staff has been distributing survival packs of food, bottled water, medicine, sleeping mats, clothing, and household items to tens of thousands of people.
"We are uniquely positioned to help the victims of this disaster-we have the skills, the staff resources and decades of knowledge in this region.
We're here for the long-term. We want to help them survive today and rebuild their lives tomorrow," said Richard Stearns, president of World Vision. World Vision has offices in nine of the 10 countries affected and has been working in Asia for more than 40 years.
World Vision's tsunami relief efforts include the following:
- Indonesia: World Vision is establishing 20 children's centers in Indonesia with special tents where traumatized children can receive physical and psychological support. Meanwhile, relief supplies-tarpaulins, sarongs,
kitchen utensils, buckets, and other necessities-are heading toward the devastated province of Aceh in two cargo ships supplied by World Vision.
- India: World Vision has provided immediate relief for more than 3,000 families with plans to reach an additional 35,000 in Chennai and the coastal villages of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh districts. Through coordinated
efforts with teams of doctors and local churches, World Vision is offering vital aid and distributing relief goods including medicine, food, water,
blankets, and clothing.
- Sri Lanka: World Vision is working with the army to build temporary toilets and distribute lanterns, soap and saucepans to some 930 people displaced in the Trincomalee region. At another camp in Sella Nagal, World Vision provided the displaced with noodles, dry fish, sleeping mats, antiseptic powder and packets of detergent. Medical officers from around the country are attending to those in refugee centers. Expectant mothers are receiving special care with supplements and vitamins.
- Thailand: World Vision Thailand provided 570 sets of building materials to construct temporary housing for Thai and Burmese migrant workers who are without homes. World Vision is also starting the construction of three school
buildings with six classrooms in each building. The construction crews will also build 36 water tanks along with latrines.
- Myanmar: While World Vision continues distributing blankets, cooking oil and food, staff in Myanmar are also starting to focus on Phase II of their relief efforts, with plans for rehabilitation efforts to help families rebuild
homes and find new sources of income.
World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. World Vision serves the world's poor regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.
"As men and women across the devastated region begin to rebuild, we offer our sustained compassion and our generosity and our assurance that America will be there to help," said President Bush today in response to the tsunami disaster in Asia.
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