Frequently asked questions
How much money has World Vision spent on its tsunami programme?
World Vision had a total budget of US$346.5 million for its tsunami response programme.
How has the money been spent?
The World Vision Asia tsunami response will be completed in the next few months (by early 2008). World Vision’s offices in the region will continue to work with communities in some tsunami-affected areas as part of its long-term development programmes.
What has the money been spent on?
World Vision has implemented the largest relief response in its history, assisting more than one million people through an integrated recovery programme.
More than 2,600 staff in five countries helped to:
- Construct more than 12,000 homes
- Build 84 schools and 33 preschools, 27 health clinics, community halls, child-care centres, livelihood centres, a sports complex, teacher accommodation, community offices, warehouses, bridges, canals, roads
- Provide employment opportunities, support and vocational training to more than 40,000 people
- Distribute assets such as fishing boats and equipment, canoes, global positioning systems, traditional motorcycle taxis, small livestock, tradesmen’s tools, materials for handicraft production, water pumps, welding plants, computers, gem cutters, vegetable carts, diving kits, sewing machines, food processors and carpentry equipment
- Restore/construct fishing-harbours, boat-building centres, farms, factories, marketplaces, an agricultural trading house and rural development-training centre
- Support 200 Child Friendly Spaces, 119 child societies, 60 playgrounds, counselling and recreation activities
- Hold child rights awareness sessions for more than 27,000 parents, community leaders, teachers and government officials
- Provide educational support to more than 2,000 teachers and 137,000 children (with school supplies, tuition etc.)
- Implement health promotion interventions for 440,000 people
- Support communities to prepare for disasters
- Secure thousands of permanent land certificates for families and new birth certificates for over 500 children.
How much of World Vision’s funding came from money raised in the UK?
World Vision is one of the 13 member agencies of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), an umbrella committee that coordinates UK donations. World Vision UK received around £20million from the DEC, private donations and grants for its tsunami response.
How did it spend its money?
World Vision UK has built more that 2,000 homes, 11 schools and 70 safe places for children. Fifty-four teachers have been trained in child protection techniques and 27 child protection committees formed. In the area of livelihoods, 5,000 people have been given business training and 5,500 people assisted with productive assets such as boats, fishing nets or engines.
What accountability mechanisms does World Vision have in place?
A key part of our strategy for financial accountability for the tsunami response centred on a continual internal audit function, as well as the direct involvement of public accounting firm KPMG to audit tsunami financial operations. Central to World Vision’s accountability practice is the local community – community members are implementers and monitors of projects and Community Development Facilitators ensure World Vision is accountable to the community.
World Vision works in partnership with other aid agencies and local organisations to share lessons learnt, take part in joint assessments and evaluation processes, whilst collaborating with UN recovery coordinators and government recovery coordination agencies.
World Vision adheres to international standards (Sphere, ALNAP, Humanitarian Accountability Partnership International, People in Aid, Red Cross/Red Crescent Code of Conduct, Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement).
Does World Vision coordinate with other agencies/government/UN on the ground?
In the first few weeks following the disaster, hundreds of aid agencies responded. Some were major international aid agencies; others were groups of individuals from overseas with little previous experience.
Since that time, through interagency meetings, UN coordination and government liaison, NGOs such as World Vision have worked together to ensure effective delivery of aid.
What was the quality of the homes built?
World Vision-built houses have been consistently rated as high-quality. All houses built are earthquake resistant and comply with local building regulations. There was immense pressure to rebuild quickly and World Vision has tried to resist this in order to make sure it builds quality housing that is compliant with local building regulations.
Why has reconstruction taken so long?
Thousands of homes, businesses, roads and bridges were destroyed. Some villages went from having more than 2,000 residents to only 400. Rebuilding a single home in any part of the world is a complex venture, which takes time. Rebuilding entire communities together with all the infrastructure necessary to make it function properly takes a long time. It requires extensive planning, consultation and negotiation. For examples land titles were lost and are took up to 12 months to replace. In addition there was a shortage of building materials and labour needed for rebuilding.
Are you helping those affected by the conflict in Sri Lanka?
We expanded the scope of our work to include displaced people in addition to tsunami survivors. We have been distributing hygiene kits, food and other items (drawing books, stationary etc).
We also conduct regular visits to displacement camps to lend psychological support and provide activities to families. World Vision is also providing temporary shelters, kitchens, water and sanitation facilities to camps.