A Glimpse into Our Future

There was a comic a while ago about the main character visualising the future filled with disasters — earthquakes, tsunamis, and more. The story sounds so real and it has made many believe that we can actually see what is coming next. Yet rather than reassuring us, this glimpse into the future leads to a deeper fear.

In July, the United Nations released the Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025, using trend data to assess the progress made towards the global goals. The report offers a clear snapshot of what our world might look like by 2030. But here's the big question: Is the future already set, or do we still have a chance to change it?

In September 2015, during the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development, more than a hundred world leaders gathered and made a historic promise to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in order to build a greener, fairer, better world by 2030. These Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can guide governments, societies, businesses, and individuals in formulating policies, allocating resources and taking appropriate actions in a collaborative effort to ensure no one is left behind.

It has been ten years since then, and the United Nations has launched the latest Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025, which provides a comprehensive evaluation of the global progress in implementing the 17 SDGs and 169 targets. The report shows that as of 2025, only 35% of the SDGs are on track or making moderate progress, while nearly half of them are progressing slowly, and 18% have even regressed. With only five years left until the deadline, can we be sure that we are not leaving anyone behind?

Significant progress

Over the past decade, significant progress has been made against a background of conflicts and wars, a slow pace of economic development, severe hunger and prolonged pandemic. The report documents some notable global achievements, namely:

The report has shown that achieving all the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 is a formidable challenge. These are what lie ahead for us — poverty, hunger, and conflict remain, while countless children still struggle to access clean drinking water. But are we going to stop working towards our goals because of this? And will we accept a future where many are left behind?

When presenting the report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a powerful statement: “Progress is still possible, but we must act with urgency, unity and unwavering resolve.” Therefore, hope or despair? Our future depends on the choices we make.

World Vision is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Serving children in poverty and need has always been our founding mission. Nevertheless, from the last century until the recent decade, the world has faced increasingly complex and unpredictable challenges, including global pandemics, persistent climate change, recurring conflicts, and increasing numbers of refugees and displaced people. These challenges have added to the difficulties of the community development work of World Vision, making it hard for us to visualise the future for children, equip them physically and mentally to overcome hardships, and ultimately, realise their dreams.

At present, we work day to day with donors, volunteers, families, and local communities in nearly 100 countries around the world to improve the lives of children. We know that communities best understand the challenges they face and how to realise their dreams. Our work takes into account the holistic needs of every child, and we hope to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by doing so.

A Prayer for No Global Poverty
Implementing Transformational Development Model

“Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness. Our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so.” Through the Transformational Development programme, we empower children, families, and communities to plan for and manage their own lives. It is everyone's responsibility — when children, families, and community members are willing to learn and grow together, we can make things better and contribute to the well-being of more children, bringing lasting change and enabling them to live a fulfilled life.

The Transformation Development programme is a journey of shared learning and change. We seek to improve child well-being using holistic programmes. To sustain and enhance effectiveness, we include drivers of sustainability, such as ensuring community ownership of the development process and building the capacity of local organisations and people. We work to transform the environment in which children are growing up by tackling structural and economic injustice, and addressing harmful beliefs and practices that undermine child well-being. There are six principles that underpin our Transformational Development work, informing our understanding of good practice and action in development, relief and advocacy work.

The Multipurpose Pole: Shining a Light on Community Development

In the remote Agorhokpo community, Johnson and Peace Agbanyo struggled to stay informed about local development and child welfare activities. With Johnson working as a lottery attendant and on the family farm, and Peace working on their family farm away from the home, their demanding routines meant they often missed vital community meetings. As a result, they remained unaware of essential information about child rights, health, and sanitation, relying instead on second-hand updates from neighbours.

In 2023, their situation changed dramatically when World Vision introduced a multipurpose pole — an innovative community messaging system that stands proudly in the centre of the village. This simple device is a pole with speakers at the top that can share pre-recorded or live information to the community members. It’s run on solar power so it can work 24/7 with low maintenance, and there are lights attached so children without power at home can come to the pole and do their homework. There’s a small box attached to the pole too, which is connected to a mobile phone set to auto-answer. That means that World Vision staff can call the phone from the offices or anywhere and broadcast messages to community members.

This simple communications pole has been a dramatic positive change for Johnson, Peace and the community. It ensured that important updates were shared effectively with all community members, including those unable to attend meetings. Through this new system, Johnson and Peace learned about training opportunities and quickly re-engaged. Johnson enrolled in a latrine artisan programme, became certified, and helped build latrines for local families, including his own, ending their practice of open defecation.

The multipurpose pole didn’t just enhance sanitation; it also delivered audio messages on child rights and abuse prevention. Johnson began to understand and appreciate the broader work of World Vision and was selected to manage the multipurpose pole — stepping into a leadership role that ensured others stayed connected too. Meanwhile, Peace benefited from audio content on positive parenting and began practicing constructive, loving discipline with their children.

The Agbanyo family transformed from feeling excluded to becoming active community leaders. Their journey demonstrates how a single, accessible communication tool can empower individuals with knowledge, support healthier choices, and inspire sustained community development.