Courtesy of the Sunday Leader
World Vision Lanka last week marked its 35th anniversary of serving the children and communities of Sri Lanka. Kevin Jenkins, President and CEO of World Vision International visited Sri Lanka to mark the occasion and spent time with some of the children and communities that are part of the World Vision programmes.“World Vision Lanka is a valued member of World Vision’s global partnership of nearly 100 countries. We take pride in what has been achieved in Sri Lanka, from the largest of relief responses to the long-term community-based development,” said Jenkins.
The event coincided with the World Vision International Board Meeting held in Sri Lanka in which 24 Board Members from 20 different countries participated. “Over the last 35 years the organisation has remained committed to its goal of providing fullness of life to every child by ensuring they have access to education, good healthcare facilities, clean water and proper hygiene and sanitation, and that they protected and cared for in a safe environment,” said Suresh Bartlett, National Director of World Vision Lanka.
World Vision has been in Sri Lanka since 1977 and has programmes in nearly all districts of the country. It has invested more than USD 380 million in development and disaster relief activities over the last 35 years.
In the aftermath of the tsunami of December 2004, World Vision launched a massive USD 120 million relief and rebuilding programme across all affected districts. After the war ended, World Vision actively supported the displaced families in the North with water, food, shelter, non-food relief items as well as nutrition, education and psychosocial programmes for children.
World Vision has also been supporting the return of the displaced back to their homes and helping them to rebuild their lives. World Vision works in all five northern districts and has programmes on livelihoods, cash for work, health and nutrition, mental health, economic development, education and water and sanitation in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Mannar. Today, with 550 staff and over 1,500 community volunteers, World Vision assists more than 240,000 children in 41 programme areas covering over 1,200 villages across Sri Lanka.
