As Hurricane Irma has made landfall in the U.S. as a Category 4, World Vision is preparing to respond in countries that will be affected by the storm.
Why World Vision is in Haiti
During 2015, a combination of poor rains and rising fertilizer and seed costs significantly impacted food production in Haiti. According to a report from the Ministry of Agriculture, harvests dropped to one third of normal yields last year. A lack of enough food resulted in 26% of children ages 5 and under suffering from chronic malnutrition. World Vision responded to the food security crisis by training 6,568 farmers on improved techniques for higher yields. Clinics also received vitamin supplements that boosted the health of underweight children. Over 100,000 children and adults attended hygiene trainings about how to prevent waterborne illnesses that exacerbate malnutrition. The rate of unemployment also remains extremely high in Haiti. Continuous devaluations of the Haitian monetary unit led to high inflation and made goods unaffordable for vulnerable families. To address the situation, 3,000 people were provided with business development training, as well as access to start-up funding, in order to get new enterprises off the ground and earning much-needed family income.
We never give up on people
World Vision child sponsorship looks at all the things that prevent children from surviving and thriving in their community, and then works with that community to bring all the pieces of the puzzle together to build a better life for all children. For sponsors, it’s a personal way to show God’s love to a child in need in a life-changing way.
Sponsor a child in Haiti ❯
Progress in Haiti
Thanks to the generous support of donors, we’re making great progress toward the well-being of children and their families.
Child Protection and Care
Boys and girls are safe and valued, well cared for by their families, and participating in their communities as agents of transformation.
- We established child protection clubs to teach children and youth about advocacy, civic responsibility, and community decision making.
Healthy Children and Families
Children and families are well nourished, protected from infection and disease, and have access to essential health services.
- To protect kids from waterborne illnesses, we held informational sessions for children and families about the importance of handwashing. We also introduced handwashing stations called Tippy Taps that families could build themselves with water containers and branches.
- We worked with the Ministry of Public Health and local organizations to provide central locations in the community where parents can bring children to receive screening for malnutrition, anti-parasite treatments, and Vitamin A supplements for vision and immunity.
- To protect children and their families from health ailments caused by unclean water, we trained children and families on methods of proper water treatment, such as filters, boiling water, and using chlorine tablets to purify the water.
Education for Better Lives
Children have opportunities to learn and to develop their talents, young people are equipped for the future, and families and communities support children's education.
- We worked to improve children’s reading skills and comprehension through libraries, reading clubs, and reading camps. Each of these activities incorporated information on health and sanitation--such as providing children with books that teach the importance of handwashing.
Love of God and Neighbors
Children and families are growing spiritually, local churches are strengthened to demonstrate Christ's love in practical ways, and people are living at peace with their neighbors.
- We held reflection sessions for faith leaders to discuss the importance of the social mission of the church, such as their congregation's role in community development and ensuring child protection.
Prayer Requests from Haiti
World Vision's staff in Haiti are asking us to join them in prayer for the following:
Families whose homes were lost in the hurricane.
Children at risk of malnutrition, that they may receive medical assistance to recover.
News from Haiti
Prayers
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