Category Archives: Disaster Relief

Why water makes the difference: A tale of two towns

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Lauren Fisher in Disaster Relief

What does clean water mean to you? How often do you think about it? In her fourth blog entry, World Vision’s Lauren Fisher compares two communities in Niger — one that has a safe source of water, and one that does not. Follow Lauren’s trip here on our blog or @WorldVisionNews (#wvlauren) for live, on-the-ground reports from the field. * * * Lately, you could say water has become a major obsession of mine. In the past, I’ve taken it for granted. It’s the back-up beverage when I can’t find iced tea or soda; it’s the bath I can count on at the end of a long day. But as one colleague told me, in Zinder, water is precious. For...

Famine in Somalia is officially over, but…

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Rachael Dill Boyer in Disaster Relief

Famine in Somalia is officially over | World Vision Blog

Of course, I’m happy that the United Nations has declared an end to the famine in Somalia. This is encouraging news, considering that six regions of the country were designated as famine zones last July. However, an estimated 2 million people still face serious food shortages in Somalia. Our work in the drought-ravaged Horn of Africa is nowhere near done....

PHOTO BLOG: Snow traps thousands in Romania

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Kathryn Reid in Disaster Relief, Stories

Snow traps thousands in Romania | World Vision Blog

Over the past several weeks, deep snow and intense cold have gripped Eastern Europe, isolating rural communities and families. In Romania, 6,000 people have been cut off for days, a result of major roads being closed and more than 300 trains cancelled. Here are some recent images of the conditions faced by families and communities amid the bone-chilling winter weather....

“Some days, we don’t have food”

Posted on February 17, 2012 by Lauren Fisher in Disaster Relief

How would you respond if you heard a 13-year-old girl say that on some days, she simply doesn’t eat? World Vision’s Lauren Fisher, covering the drought and food crisis in Niger and across West Africa, writes her third blog post recounting stories of visits with people and communities affected by this emergency. Follow Lauren here on our blog or @WorldVisionNews (#wvlauren) for live, on-the-ground reports from the field. * * * “Someday, I want to be an NGO [non-governmental organization] worker.” Shy 13-year-old Koubra Mamane’s answer surprises me. A bit hesitant in her speech, and a bit skeptical of the whole interview, she reminds me of your typical teenage girl. She tells us she loves mathematics and has to help...

Food crisis leaves holes in a community

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Lauren Fisher in Disaster Relief

World Vision’s Lauren Fisher is on the ground in Niger, where prolonged drought has resulted in weak harvests and a food crisis similar to what the Horn of Africa has suffered over the past year. Follow Lauren here on our blog or @WorldVisionNews (#wvlauren) for live, on-the-ground reports from the field. * * * It’s 3 p.m., and the school is alive with clapping, singing, and plenty of desperate hand-raising. We’re spending our afternoon with the children of the Toungouzou village at their school, built by World Vision. It looks like most schools you’ve been in, complete with the light scent of chalk dust, the boards filled with maps and songs. The children, ranging in age from 6 to about...