Locals Remember World Vision’s Help 10 Years Ago

Teachers and Medicals Repay Generosity with Action

On 12 May, 2008, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan claimed over 70,000 lives. Millions of people were affected and countless more, including the most vulnerable children, had their lives turned upside down within minutes. World Vision readily deployed staff to participate in the relief and rebuilding of communities, giving over HK$450 million to help the affected across 81 counties and districts in the provinces of Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu during the most difficult time. In the past 10 years, World Vision’s Wenchuan Earthquake Response has benefited over 2.38 million people, including over 1.6 million children.


With the onset of the 10th anniversary of the Wenchuan earthquake, we visited a primary school that World Vision helped build in Ya’an. Ms. Cheng, one of the teachers at the school, recalls, “The ground and the mountains were shaking, and the children were terrified … The whole building was so shaken that it was deformed.” With the school building in ruins, World Vision later helped start the construction of a new one. “It would have been impossible for us to construct such a building without the help of well-wishers. Now that is love without borders,” says a grateful Ms. Cheng.

The new building was left unscathed even when a magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook Ya’an in 2013. Ms. Cheng remembers it very well. “Thanks to the well-wishers, now we have safe and robust classrooms. I feel secure teaching here.”

Apart from the school, we also visited two community clinics damaged during the earthquake. World Vision helped rebuild and improve the premises, benefiting over 20,000 locals and medical staff. Ms. Yu, a nurse in one of the clinics, says, “Thanks to the robust buildings that you have helped to build, people in our community can now receive medical care when sick, and we medicals no longer have to be afraid of earthquakes.”

Kevin Chiu, CEO of World Vision Hong Kong, says, “Soon after the Wenchuan earthquake, we visited the affected to learn about their needs. We went with the concern of the Hong Kong public and brought practical help and care to children and families. Your generous giving has allowed World Vision to begin various emergency relief projects and stay in the region for years to rebuild communities alongside the affected. On the 10th anniversary, we would like to thank you on their behalf for your concern and help.”

Published on 8 May 2018