From the Field

From heartbreak to hope: 65 years of disaster response

Starting in 1950 with the Korean War, World Vision has responded to the most urgent disasters and humanitarian crises around the world, providing immediate aid.

Starting in 1950 with the Korean War, World Vision has responded to the most urgent humanitarian crises, providing immediate aid. But being “first in” is only part of the equation. World Vision’s goal is also to be “last out” — seeing families and communities through hardship to restoration. Here are 12 examples of what that looks like over 65 years of disaster response.

Korean war

Operation Seasweep

Ethiopia famine

Romania’s orphans

Rwanda genocide

Hurricane Mitch

Kosovo conflict

AIDS pandemic

Asia tsunami

Child soldiers: Uganda

Hurricane Katrina

Haiti earthquake

Contributors: Kari Costanza, John Leckie, Nathalie Moberg, Nigel Marsh, and Lauren Reed, World Vision staff

Disaster Relief

View All Stories
A man navigates a neighborhood devastated by Hurricane Katrina, with destroyed homes and scattered debris.
From the Field

Hurricane Katrina: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

A woman holds her baby amid the ruins of her home after a deadly earthquake.
From the Field

Nepal earthquakes: Facts, FAQs, and how to help

Eastern Europe

View All Stories
Aid workers rush to the scene of devastation after a deadly earthquake in Herat.
From the Field

Explore World Vision’s disaster responses

A girl in a winter cap and a pink shirt smiles and lifts her hand to cradle beaded Christmas ornaments hanging from strings.
From the Field

How’d they do that: DIY Christmas crafts from around the world