News & Stories

You may have heard of this: "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well." Yes! Food is not just something to fill the stomach. Food can be delicious, inventive, colourful, inspiring, and meaningful to all of us. But did you know that nearly 50 million people are on the edge of famine in 45 countries? Tens of millions of children and their families are confronted with starvation in a massive hunger crisis. 

Xa is only 14 years old, but for years, she knew what her future holds: early marriage. Where she lives in Vietnam, arranged marriages are prevalent and most girls are married as teenagers. Both of Xa’s grandmothers married at 15. Her mother married at 17. Her sister married at 19. In her culture, women are the breadwinners of the family. Once, Xa’s mother had to go to the forest to chop down a tree even though she was heavily pregnant.

From a young age, Semira was in charge of the chores around the house. She would fetch water, cook, and collect firewood for her family while her three brothers would spend their time leisurely. None of them thought anything of it – it was just how things had always been in their community in rural Ethiopia.

Just 21, Andreea is one of hundreds of World Vision volunteers working on rotation day and night to support people fleeing Ukraine. Andreea grew up in a small, rural area in eastern Romania. Many children in her community did not have the chance to attend school so they spent their days in the fields caring for animals.

The war in Ukraine has captured the world’s attention, and that’s as it should be. The devastation is tragic, as people are forced to flee their homes seeking safety, protection and assistance. It’s been encouraging to see governments and ordinary citizens taking a real interest in Ukrainian refugees and giving generously to help them. However, there are many other refugees around the world in circumstances that are just as desperate.

Kenzho was just five years old when the pandemic happened in the Philippines. The young boy from the province of Aklan is already seven years old. As an only child, he spends most of his time playing with his friends. He also helps his mother with their house chores. To fully support Kenzho with his lessons, his mother Almira decided to quit her job to focus on tutoring her son and taking care of him during the pandemic. While being jobless, Almira depends on the two small businesses that she and her mother, Amy, started before the pandemic. With the help of World Vision’s Community Managed Savings and Credit Association programme, Almira has learned how to save and invest money in productive ventures.