World News & Stories
But sometimes Otília is too weak to play soccer…or go to school. This happens when she has diarrhea caused by the water the family drinks from the stream.
In many urban areas of India, families live in old, one-room houses. The houses do not have toilets, so everyone is forced to rely on public toilets that are shared by several families. The lack of dignity makes using these facilities a harrowing experience for young women.
Kaye has a smile that puts you at ease right away. The 14-year-old student made friends easily when she transferred to a new school several years ago. Smart, driven, and kind, she was an instant favourite with teachers and her peers.
I remember missing a few days of school over the course of my education. Seeing me doubled over with cramps, my mom would take pity on me and sign me out of class.
Mãe, Mère, Maji, Induk, Mama, Ammee, Mom; the word ‘mother’ in any language represents strength, love and security. And these moms are no exception!
World Water Day is about more than clean water. It's also about sanitation and hygiene, since proper sanitation and hygiene (in conjunction with clean water, of course) can help reduce the risk of deadly diseases. That is why toilets, or latrines as they are called in some countries, are so important.
For these five children, getting to school is no simple matter. But mountain ranges and rivers won’t stop them from getting an education. And, like their commitment to learning, our admiration for them knows no bounds.
As Father's Day approaches, I wanted to learn how dads around the world encourage, mentor and care for their children. Looking through the World Vision photo database, I found dozens of men who go to immense lengths for their little ones.
Young Sonia works long hours every day, hoping to make enough money for a few vegetables. She’s homeless and sleeps wherever she can, covered only in a thin sheet. Recently, she’s been unable to see at night – a symptom of malnutrition – and fears going blind altogether. Not to mention all the other reasons a girl on her own has to be afraid of.
Srey Neang packs 4000 heavy bricks onto a truck every single day. It’s backbreaking labour, work not meant for a 13-year-old girl. In fact, she spends more time working than she does in school, making her dream of becoming a teacher seem like an unlikely reality.
In 2013, the Rana Plaza garment factory collapsed in Bangladesh, killing more than 1,100 people. Many workers had received an ultimatum that day after complaining about dangerous cracks in the structure: go to work now or lose your pay. In the days that followed, Canadians watched in horror as information was released linking some of their favourite clothing brands with garments being sewn in that very building.
What started in 1985 as a way to shake the cobwebs off after New Year’s Eve has now grown into a family affair for the Courage clan. Gaye Courage, the “Queen Polar Bear” and mother to Co-Founders Todd and Trent, was the one who instigated the whole thing when she told her boys to “go jump in the lake”. Today, Gaye joins the family on New Year’s Day to take part on the largest charitable polar bear dip in Canada.
They’re known on television as the Property Brothers. Good-looking and confident, they stride into millions of Canadian living rooms each week with real estate and design advice. But when World Vision’s brand new ambassadors, Vancouver-born twins Drew and Jonathan Scott, stepped into a one-room hut in Delhi, India, they were clearly treading new ground.
My first public screening of the film Girl Rising was in Seattle. The theatre was sold out. The energy was electric. Despite five years of work on the film and a huge campaign to support it, I wasn’t nervous. I was more curious to see how people would respond to the stories on the screen.
One day, about seven years ago, I was in a mall and came across a World Vision kiosk. Normally I'd just pass it by, but this time something, or should I say someone, jumped out at me. I saw a picture of the cutest little boy that instantly made me stop. Right then and there. I started sponsoring Ruben.