Learn how our Christian faith impacts and supports our work for children
Founded on a prayer over 70 years ago, World Vision helps all children, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender in some of the world's most dangerous places. We have been blessed to work with people of all faiths and none to create opportunities for better futures for vulnerable children and families living in the world’s toughest places.
This work has transformed the lives of more than 200 million children.
Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.
Robert Pierce
World Vision Founder and President 1950-1967
Our faith not only drives our work, but actively supports it. We work with faith organisations and religious leaders to bring communities together and build trust around important health ventures such as vaccines.
Religious leaders of all faiths are uniquely placed to understand the needs of the most vulnerable in their communities, bring about changes in thinking, foster dialogue, and motivate their congregations to meet community needs for long-term change.
We have worked in over 100 countries around the world and enter every situation with an open mind and an open heart. As a Christian charity for children, we realise that, for a child to overcome poverty, we have to tackle to root of the issue in their community and through our child sponsorship scheme, for every child you sponsor four more will benefit.
Common principles and values with other faiths
Well-placed to build relationships and work with faith leaders
Tackle deeply ingrained harmful practices from a faith perspective
Before working with Christians and Muslims I thought it would be hard. But we are working towards one common goal, so we are able to work together.
Roem Nam-Chhiev
Buddhist Monk in Phnom Penh
Inspired by our common values, we seek out and work with faith leaders to address underlying values and norms that prevent children from experiencing the fullness of life; issues like HIV and AIDS, maternal and child health, gender equality, and child protection. We work with them to keep communities safe and united when disasters such as Ebola and Covid strike.
We work with churches to protect children from harmful cultural practices such as child marriage. World Vision’s Channels of Hope project equips faith leaders and communities to prevent and respond effectively to cases of violence against children.
Christine, from Kenya, was forced to marry an older man when she was a child. When she discovered her husband was planning to marry off their 14-year-old daughter in exchange for a dowry, she was heartbroken. Thankfully, her pastor shared the effects of child marriage and FGM during a church talk, which he learnt from World Vision’s project. Christine was able to seek help from the church, who intervened and succeeded in dissuading her husband from marrying off their daughter, and provided financial support so that her daughter could continue her studies.
Celebrating Families is a model which equips faith leaders, parents, caregivers and teachers to create a safe environment for children. The workshops aim to educate participants on how to nurture and approach children with love, warmth and forgiveness, and teaches alternatives to harsh parenting and discipline techniques. Research shows that family relationships and behaviours towards children improve after one or both parents attend the Celebrating Families workshops.
In Zimbabwe, Mr and Mrs Gondo's lives were transformed after attending the Celebrating Families workshop. There is more love and unity in their household and the children are now included in family decision making processes. They were encouraged to work together on the family business, leading to more livestock, an expansion in farming activities and a newly opened grocery store, where Mrs Gondo works while her husband and eldest son (pictured above) work on the farm.
By 2022, more than 162,000 faith leaders, home visitors, and community health workers were trained to ensure people heard accurate, fact-based messages about Covid preventive measures and vaccines from trusted leaders during the pandemic
As one of the world’s leading Christian charities, we use our faith to build relationships that support local communities, working here with faith leaders in Sierra Leone to protect the community against Ebola and coronavirus.
[World Vision is] a Christian organisation but that doesn’t stop them working together with other groups that aren’t Christian.
Dave Johnson
Jireh Church, Bebington in Wirral
If you are looking for a Christian charity that empowers the world's most vulnerable children and doesn’t discriminate, please consider World Vision.
