Emergency Relief

World Vision is a world-wide organisation with the size, experience and expertise to respond immediately when disasters happen.

We employ global network disaster-response experts who assess the impact of each disaster, plan the response, and are on the ground within 24 to 72 of hours of a major disaster.

We have offices in 100 countries, so are often already based in disaster regions with local staff being able to start work immediately. As we are a trusted and well known NGO, with offices run by local staff, we can work extremely effectively with local communities and local governments, to ensure that the immediate and longer term response to crises are effective. Our focus during and after a crisis is always on the welfare and protection of children,

World Vision Ireland is responding to acute and chronic humanitarian crises across a number of countries. With valuable support from Irish Aid, our Humanitarian Programme Plan has a very strong focus on health, education and the protection of women and children.

Our goals are to protect children, save lives, reduce suffering, protect livelihoods, strengthen community resilience and promote peace.

A doctor working at a centre partly funded by World Vision

Making a difference after disasters

World Vision has the size, experience and expertise to respond immediately with emergency aid when disaster happens. Our goals are to protect children, save lives, reduce suffering, protect livelihoods, strengthen community resilience and promote peace. We are always ready to provide on-the-ground aid and assistance to those affected.

World Vision has a global network of disaster response experts, who assess the impact of each disaster, plan the response, request funding from offices, like World Vision Ireland, and get to work immediately. The Global Rapid Response Team responds within 24 to 72 of hours of a major disaster. The team includes logistics staff, child protection experts, water, health and sanitation experts, and communications staff.

Woman sitting on bricks in an abandoned building

Emergency Aid work

As part of our Emergency Aid work, World Vision International has disaster supplies on standby, located in Germany, Italy and the USA, so they can be transported quickly to a disaster anywhere in the world. Supplies include medical kits, blankets, tents, water filters and communications equipment.

We have offices in 100 countries, so are often already based in disaster regions with local staff being able to start work as soon as possible. The Global Rapid Response Team works alongside local staff for the first 90 days of a disaster. They then set up a long-term team of regional staff to continue the work. There is never a quick fix for a high-level disaster; long-term recovery plans are essential to get communities back on their feet.

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Record numbers need help

168 million in 2020 - that's 1 person in 45 on the planet

More conflict than ever before

Driving hunger and displacement - 50% of displaced are children

Climate change wreaks havoc

Increasing people’s vulnerability to humanitarian crises

Nurse measuring a baby's arms while sitting on their mothers lap

How does World Vision pay for its disaster response?

About 80 per cent of World Vision's funding worldwide comes from private donations(ie: you, the donor). For large-scale disasters, offices like World Vision Ireland will appeal to its supporters and the public for donations. While this money is being raised, World Vision International will make use of emergency reserve funds. World Vision budgets carefully for the disaster response, using the money effectively over several years. Planning for the longer term is crucial, so that once supporters and the public stop sending donations, our recovery and rebuilding work can still continue.

Reducing the impact of future disasters

A vital element of World Vision’s Emergency Aid work is to partner with vulnerable communities to make sure they have programmes to help reduce the impact of future disasters.

World Vision trains and prepares communities to avoid (prevent) or limit (prepare for) the adverse impact of disasters, and to become more resilient. For example, community members (both adults and children) receive life-saving training that will help them survive in the case of floods or an earthquake. Early-warning systems are installed, and specially strengthened houses and buildings are constructed to withstand disasters such as floods or an earthquake.

Disaster management always includes the following goals:

To reduce or avoid losses of lives and property (early warning, preparedness, mitigation)
To ensure prompt assistance to survivors
To achieve rapid and effective recovery
To manage long-term programmes to help communities fully recover