World News & Stories

In February, UN agencies declared a famine in parts of South Sudan. They estimated that 100,000 people faced immediate threat of starvation. They also raised a serious alarm that other regions in Africa are at risk of famine.

Hope shines a light in the darkness. It’s infectious, even healing. But what is there to be hopeful for? Let’s look at the year ahead with 17 reasons to have hope in 2017.

In a rare moment of winter cheer, these displaced Syrian children had some fun in the snow, north of the city of Aleppo. 

For years, our hearts have been broken by the conflict in Syria. This holiday season, the images of children hurt and even targeted by the violence, especially in Aleppo, seem almost too much to bear.

People around the world have been expressing solidarity for those suffering in Syria by lighting a candle in their honour. 

The ceasefire in eastern Aleppo has shattered, stalling the evacuation plan to get people out of the city on buses. As eastern Aleppo lies in ruins, the reports of violence against the children of Aleppo signal a terrifying new chapter in the Syrian Crisis. 

Children like Hamaad, Manal, Ahmed, Aman and Raqwa* have been through more terror before the age of 14 than most Canadians will endure in a lifetime. In fact, Iraq is now home to 3.3 million internally displaced people and 8.4 million people in need.

With the military offensive approaching Mosul, Iraq, scores of children and their families from outlying villages are already fleeing to an overcrowded Camp near Erbil in northern Iraq.

On October 4th my colleagues and I anxiously watched the news as Hurricane Matthew tore through Haiti. All of us were hoping and praying that the damage would be minimal, but the storm was deadly.

In case you missed it, this is our most-viewed video ever!

World Vision is often one of the first responders to natural disasters and emergencies. But that doesn't mean that we simply dump our aid supplies and leave.

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.

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.

This Saturday, I got to meet real-life superheroes. They were refugee mothers, recently arrived from the Middle East having escaped Syria. All of them had come to a giant playdate organized by World Vision and the Mennonite Central Committee for their families. 

When disaster strikes, World Vision is positioned to respond, to help mitigate the impact on vulnerable communities. Here's how.

In the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince on January 12, 2010, World Vision initiated the largest single-country disaster response in the organization’s history. Over the last three years, as the focus has shifted from emergency relief to long-term development, World Vision has helped several million Haitians.

One hundred dollars a month: that’s the price Amira is paying for the small one-room shack her family is living in off of a main street in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley. It’s an exorbitant price for Syrian refugees. And one Amira isn’t sure she can continue to afford.

Winter is here. And children are freezing. Literally. The Syrian families who’ve fled their homes have nothing except the clothes on their backs. It’s not enough. They’ve given up jobs, warm beds, school, loving friends, security, stocked pantries and more — all to stay alive. Here are their stories.

World Vision answers your frequently asked questions about Child-Friendly Spaces.

Since 2011, conflict has devastated Syria. Now the Syrian refugee crisis is recognized internationally, as the largest refugee crisis of our time. The Syrian civil war has set Syria’s national standard of living back by decades – destroying health care systems, schools and water and sanitation facilities.