MISSISSAUGA, Ont. (April 30, 2009) — When disaster strikes, children are at the heart of World Vision’s response. The development, relief and advocacy organization cared for some 17,000 children in the aftermath of the cyclone that devastated Myanmar a year ago and continues to work with them to build a better future in this disaster-prone country.

World Vision’s child-friendly spaces—108 of them established as a safe place for children to play, learn and recover from trauma—have been a key element of the organization’s response in the hardest-hit areas in Myanmar. Many have since been taken over by community volunteers who have been trained to support these children, some who have lost their parents, when Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar on May 2, 2008, leaving some 138,000 people dead or missing.

World Vision also provided food and non-food items during the initial emergency phase, along with shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection, health and livelihood programs that reached more than 347,000 people in the Yangon and Delta regions. In the current rebuilding phase, World Vision is focusing on livelihood recovery, child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, and disaster risk reduction for 100,000 people.

“Many communities have told us how much they value the special attention being paid to their children. Not only did the child-friendly spaces give children a place of their own in which to play, meet friends and recover a sense of normalcy but they also allowed parents to get on with rebuilding their lives knowing their children were being cared for,” said Mia Marina, World Vision Myanmar Emergency Response Support Manager.

One parent told World Vision that the space in his remote village was the best thing that happened to them as a family. All his eight children were attending. He was especially happy his six-year-old son, who had physical disabilities prior to the cyclone, was also able to attend along with 80 children.

Pam Sitko, a Canadian and a Relief Communicator for World Vision in Bangkok said: “The children are beautiful, and the children are eager – children who just want to make a difference.  They want to be something, anything. It was amazing and inspiring to see how their parents, aunts, uncles, appreciated our programs, and how these programs had really taken off. “

Still, challenges remain for children who dream of becoming a doctor or a businessman.  Livelihood recovery for their parents remains as the greatest need. Many families suffered losses of income generating assets, crops, and livestock when the cyclone disrupted the agriculture cycle in the country's main food producing region. Farmers are or will shortly plant their “wet” season crops and are dependent on monsoon rains for a healthy harvest.

Local staff and communities have been at the forefront of the response and World Vision is helping people prepare for future disasters through simulations, planning evacuation routes, building elevated areas to evacuate to and constructing community centres that can be used as cyclone shelters.  

Generous Canadian donors, in addition to support from the Canadian government, provided significant help towards these relief and recovery efforts. World Vision received $5.1 million from Canadians, in addition to grants worth $2.3 million from the Canadian government.

World Vision has operated in Myanmar since 1961 and donors currently sponsor 42,000 children, although none are sponsored by Canadians. Community development programs funded by the child sponsorship program include food assistance, agriculture, health, clean water, education, income generation and nutrition programs.

World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.


To interview World Vision staff, please contact:

Yoko Kobayashi
905-565-6200 ext. 2151
416-671-0086 (cell)
yoko_kobayashi@WorldVision.ca

Alex Sancton
905-565-6200 ext. 3979
416-419-1321 (cell)
alex_sancton@WorldVision.ca