As recovery begins in China after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that devastated Sichuan province, World Vision is eager to addresses any of your concerns about its work in the country. Below are some of the most-commonly asked questions.

 

Can you tell me about the Canadian government's decision to match donations for China and Myanmar?

Yes, this is true. On Thursday, May 15, the Canadian government announced that it will be matching private, individual donations raised by World Vision, and other NGOs for Myanmar and China emergency victims. Combined with this government contribution, your gift to World Vision will dramatically improve our ability to provide emergency supplies and rebuild lives. This immediate funding will be used for emergency items such as tents, water, food, blankets and medicines.

 

Rest assured that World Vision monitors and controls all aid distribution wherever we work. Your donation will be used to help the affected children and their families.

 

Have any sponsored children been affected by the earthquake?

No. World Vision has an ADP project in Qingchuan Country, Sichuan, located 200 km from the epicentre in Wenchuan County. This ADP, supported by World Vision Hong Kong, is just beginning and child sponsorship has not begun yet. World Vision Canada does not operate any programs in this area.

 

How is World Vision helping?
World Vision’s assessment team has arrived in Chengdu and with the help of local government is conducting two-day assessments in three quake-affected areas including, Shifang, Mianzhu and Qingchuan.

 

A distribution of 30,000 quilts is planned in the three counties over the next ten days.

 

World Vision is planning to assist 107,000 survivors with emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation.

 

World Vision is planning to distribute 800 tents, 2,000 tarpaulins and 464,000 kg of rice in Qinchun (where World Vision has ADP). These goods will be purchased locally.

 

World Vision is distributing 100 hygiene kits (soap, towels and toothbrushes) for survivors in temporary shelters.

 

As part of its Child Protection programming, World Vision is planning to establish three Child Friendly Spaces. These are places where children can access psychosocial help and start to rebuild familiar routines.

 

Were any World Vision programs affected by the earthquake?
World Vision has an ADP project in Qingchuan Country, Sichuan, located 200 km from the epicentre in Wenchuan County. Contact has been established with this office and all six staff are reported safe.

During the quake on May 12, all of the six ADP staff working in Qingchuan ran out of the office building onto the streets.  They set up a temporary working office in nearby Guangyuan City, which is well equipped to handle immediate relief work and assessment crews.

Other ADP offices in Yunnan, Guansu and Shaanxi felt the quake but reported no known damage to the areas.

What are the immediate needs of the earthquake survivors?
People need temporary shelters, blankets, medicines, clothing, food and water.

How are rescue efforts hampered by conditions?
Telecommunications in the area have been cut and boulders and landslides block roads. Sichuan province is one of the most densely populated provinces, with some 100 million people. Its mountainous terrain increases the risk of further landslides. Heavy rain continues to hamper relief efforts.

 

Many buildings near the epicentre have crumbled, not built to withstand strong earthquake tremors. Approximately 60 per cent of Sichuan’s population is involved in agriculture and live in shanty buildings.

 

Premier Wen Jiabao is in the disaster area and has deployed 50,000 Chinese troops to assist with the rescue effort.

 

Is World Vision Canada accepting donations for the earthquake relief?

Yes, World Vision Canada is appealing for $100,000 for emergency aid towards World Vision China’s appeal to the World Vision Partnership for US $2 million towards immediate assistance.

 

If the appeal is met, relief and rehabilitation activities totaling US $2 million will reach more than 107,000 survivors. Long-term rehabilitation activities will focus on shelter and school re-construction.

 

If you would like to contribute toward relief efforts in China, click here. Chinese-speaking Canadians can also call World Vision’s Chinese toll free line at 1-800-268-2776.

 

What sort of work does World Vision do in China?

World Vision conducts relief and development projects benefiting more than 4 million people in China.

 

We operate 40 child-focused Area Development Programs (ADPs) in China. Projects are located in 18 provinces/municipalities/autonomous regions: Anhui, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Sichuan, Yunnan, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Jilin, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia.

 

World Vision China has 736 staff members, comprising 633 local staff and 103 national staff (from Hong Kong).

 

There are 72,484 sponsored children in China, of which Canadians sponsor 10,500 children. World Vision China’s head office is located in Hong Kong. The total annual programs budget is US$12.9 million.

 

World Vision is also responding at the same time to the cyclone in Myanmar. Can you handle two emergencies at once?

Yes, that is because World Vision Canada is part of a worldwide partnership of World Vision offices. World Vision works with local staff in all 100 countries where we serve. We have staff working on the ground in community development programs who are ready to respond when disaster strikes.

In Myanmar, we have nearly 600 staff on the ground who have been responding since the day the cyclone hit. We've already distributed aid to 88,000 people to date.

In China, World Vision has more than 700 staff on the ground. Our assessment team will start their work in the earthquake zone on May 15 and our response will depend on conditions in the region and the role of the local government/military. Aid is already on the way and should reach survivors by May 16. World Vision China is in contact with the government regarding this response.

In addition, our Global Rapid Response Team (GRRT)—a team of emergency relief experts—is currently monitoring the situation in both countries. This team is designed and trained to respond to up to four emergencies simultaneously.

 

What is World Vision Canada’s involvement in China?

Canadians sponsor 10,500 children in China. World Vision Canada currently funds eight ADPs and six projects. Our projects include:

• Girl Education: advocating on providing equal education opportunities for ethnic minorities’ girls;
• Girl Teacher Training : offers financial assistance to teenage Hui and Dongxiang girls to receive teacher training in normal college after junior high school;
• School Construction : building a teaching block for 300 pre-school and 760 kindergarten students in Tiandong;
• Bio Gas Stove Project: introducing comprehensive utilization of biogas in Shangzhou
• Gansu Red Ribbon Project : training of clinical and technical aspects of HIV and AIDS care and prevention.

World Vision Canada does not have grants from the Canadian International Development Agency or World Food Programme in China.

 

Has World Vision responded previously to emergencies in China?  
Yes. World Vision China provided aid to survivors of the February 2008 winter blizzard to people affected by the 7.3 magnitude quake that struck Xinjiang in northwestern China.

 

China is prone to frequent typhoons (about five per year along the southern and eastern coasts), damaging floods, earthquakes, droughts and snowstorms.

 

How can I help?

We are asking people to make a cash donation to help with the emergency relief efforts. Click here to give a gift toward relief efforts in China. Chinese-speaking Canadians can also call World Vision’s Chinese toll free line: 1-800-268-2776.

 

More Information
If you have any further questions, click here.