Afghanistan Earthquake Relief
2017 Relief Work Report
2017 has been a turbulent year. Extreme weather and persistent conflict have brought disasters and a sense of uncertainty to many parts of our world. The current situation in East Africa is a perfect illustration, as prolonged drought and ongoing civil wars contributed to a massive hunger crisis which affected over 20 million lives across four countries.
While people in East Africa were desperate for water, floods engulfed parts of China and Sri Lanka for days in the summer. And in Haiti, huge losses were recorded after Hurricane Matthew swept through the country in October 2016.
The crisis in Syria needs no further introduction. After more than 6 years of armed conflict, it has become one of the largest humanitarian crises in history, having forced millions of people to leave everything behind in return for a future full of question marks.
In late August, many others found themselves in a similar situation when conflict broke out in Myanmar’s Rakhine State. As of the end of the calendar year, over 600,000 refugees had arrived in Bangladesh.
Your support has allowed us to quickly respond to the needs of those affected and provide them with timely assistance, sometimes in partnership with other humanitarian organisations. In 2017*, World Vision Hong Kong raised over HK$39.2 million (including HKSAR Government’s Disaster Relief Fund), and pooled it with other World Vision offices to respond to emergencies. Thank you so much for your generosity, which has saved lives and restored hope around the world.
Myanmar-Bangladesh Refugee Crisis
An armed conflict broke out in Rakhine State, Myanmar, in late August 2017, forcing at least 600,000 refugees, most of whom identified as Rohingya, to seek refuge in neighbouring Bangladesh. It is estimated that about 60% of these refugees are children, and about 21% of children under the age of five are suffering from malnutrition.
Key Activities
- Provided emergency food rations (rice, pulse, oil, sugar and salt) to refugee households at settlement areas in Bangladesh.
No. of Beneficiaries: about 105,250
Syria Crisis
Now approaching its seventh year mark, the Syria crisis has displaced more than 11 million Syrians, over half of which are children. Among them, 6.1 million are internally displaced people, while at least 5.4 million have fled to other countries to seek refuge. Since May 2011, World Vision has been actively providing help for Syrian children and families inside Syria, as well as several neighbouring countries, including Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon.Key Activities
- Partnered with other humanitarian organisations to provide food and cash assistance.
- Distributed essential items to infants and their families, such as hygiene kits and baby kits.
- Rehabilitated hospitals and clinics, and provided antenatal and early childhood facilities to better serve mothers and children.
- Repaired and constructed water and sanitation infrastructure to provide clean drinking water, better drainage and upgraded sewers.
- Provided early childhood education for children under 6 and worked with local partners to protect children’s rights.
- Set up Child Friendly Spaces and safe spaces for women and children to provide secure environments for displaced people adjusting to their new lives.
No. of Beneficiaries: about 2,300,000
China and Sri Lanka Floods
Persistent rainstorms and floods affected over 285 counties from 11 provinces in southern China in June 2017. Over 60 major rivers in Hunan, Guangxi, Jiangxi, Hubei and Anhui exceeded warning level or even historical records.
In Sri Lanka, incessant rainfall in late May caused severe flooding and landslides in 15 districts. At least 212 deaths were recorded and over 717,000 people were affected.
Key Activities
- China: Distributed rice, quilts, hygiene kit, child friendly kits in Hunan Province.
- Sri Lanka: Provided plastic mats, kitchen sets, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, treated mosquito nets, jerry cans, disinfection kits, water filters and portable solar powered lights.
No. of Beneficiaries: about 70,410
Haiti Hurricane
On October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew swept through poverty-stricken Haiti, with strong winds causing heavy rain and flooding. The massive destruction affected over 1.4 million people across the country. Many, especially those in rural areas, were left homeless, lost their livelihoods and had no access to clean water. They also had to face potential outbreaks of diseases such as cholera and malaria.
Key Activities
- Supplied hygiene and shelter items such as hygiene kits, water treatment tablets, jerry cans, tarpaulins, blankets and kitchen kits.
- Promoted hygiene education and cholera prevention to avoid outbreaks of mosquito- and water-borne diseases.
- Rehabilitated water points to increase access to clean water.
- Established Child Friendly Spaces to provide psychosocial support and recreational activities.
- Distributed food rations, seeds, agricultural tools, livestock and cash assistance to households.
No. of Beneficiaries: about 246,150
East Africa Hunger Crisis
Four countries in East Africa, namely, South Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, experienced a serious hunger crisis, which has been aggravated by drought, conflict and political instability. 6.8 million people have been forced to flee the affected areas, where children are at risk of violence, exploitation and abuse.Key Activities
- Provided food and cash assistance, agricultural training and seed distribution for families and communities.
- Screened children and pregnant women for malnutrition and referred the malnourished to nutrition programmes; provided vaccinations to children and livestock to prevent diseases.
- Improved water supply through rehabilitating existing water sources, upgrading water supply systems, and water trucking.
- Carried out feeding programmes at schools to encourage children to attend school.
No. of Beneficiaries: about 3,500,000
