Monthly Archives: April 2011

When disaster strikes home

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Robbie Thomas wipes her eyes as she recalls her experiences in the Rosedale Courts housing complex, in the aftermath of deadly tornados in Tuscaloosa, Alabama April 29, 2011. | REUTERS/Lee Celano
Editor’s note: World Vision’s Nathan Looney reports from his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, that while neighborhoods in his immediate area were spared, towns just 30 minutes north and south have been completely devastated. Nathan, who happened to be visiting his family for the Easter holiday, will connect with our incoming assessment team tomorrow as they jumpstart World Vision’s response. I’ve seen countless pictures of destruction and hundreds of video clips of unimaginable devastation. In my few years at World Vision, I’ve sat in meetings sifting through images and articles, looking for the ones that best tell the story. At times, those pictures and stories ended up just being a tool to me, a means to educate our donors, a device...
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World Vision responds to storms and tornadoes in American South

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Residents inspect the aftermath of overnight tornadoes that left this part of Pratt City, a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, in ruins April 28, 2011. Devastating storms and tornadoes raked though the U.S. South, killing at least 185 people as they ripped houses to rubble, flipped cars and uprooted trees and power lines, officials said on Thursday. (REUTERS/Marvin Gentry)
Editor’s note: At World Vision’s office in New York, Mindy Mizell is coordinating media efforts concerning our response to the deadly storms and tornadoes in the American South. URGENT: World Vision is responding to the devastation left by deadly storms in Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Mississippi, as well as the levee break in Missouri. We are working with local partners to distribute first aid kits, hygiene supplies, and other essential products to some of the hardest-hit communities. An assessment team is also preparing to survey the damage in Alabama and look for ways to partner with churches and other local organizations to help the most vulnerable children and families....
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Royal gift poll results

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Royal gift poll results - thumbnail | World Vision Blog
Elegant, regal, ceremonious, formal, beautiful — these are all words that might be used to describe Prince William and Kate’s wedding after this weekend’s royal wedlock. But as any married person (or former wedding party member) knows, it is not without great planning that a “dream” wedding comes to life. There are dress fittings, cake tastings, floral appointments, seating charts… and perhaps one of the more exciting pre-wedding activities — the gift registry. But the royal couple is obviously not registering for towels, kitchen appliances and luggage. Instead, we love that they asked for donations to charitable funds, which got our blog team thinking — if we were invited to the royal nuptials, what World Vision gift would we give...
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All in a day’s work for caregiver volunteers

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In Uganda, Milly uses a caregiver kit to treat an HIV-positive family. ©2010 Simon Peter Esaku/World Vision
Editor’s note: This month is the five-year anniversary of the World Vision U.S. Caregiver Kits program — an initiative that equips volunteers with kits containing simple items that assist in caring for those affected by HIV and AIDS. To honor the outstanding difference this program has made in the lives of caregivers and their clients, we asked Miyon to describe how World Vision volunteer caregivers are an asset to their communities. The thing I love most about Zambia is the people. Sure, the landscape is beautiful — big open land dotted with crops and thatched roof huts, blue skies with fluffy clouds. The wildlife is fantastic — lions, giraffes, leopards, hippos. But it’s the spirit of the people who call...
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Fast facts: Malaria [infographic]

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In honor of World Malaria Day, observed every year on April 25 as a day of awareness and recognition for global efforts to end malaria, we challenge you to educate yourself on the facts, raise awareness, and take action against this deadly but preventable disease. Malaria is a disease of massive proportions that disproportionately impacts children. Each year, approximately 780,000 people die from malaria, 85 percent of whom are children under 5. World Vision works in 62 countries affected by malaria, 23 of which are in Africa. Impact on children and families Malaria is the 4th leading cause of death for children globally. According to latest figures, globally 8% of under-five child deaths are attributable to malaria and in Africa...
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