Seeing World Vision at Work in India

Words cannot adequately describe today’s experience. The World Vision India staff had obviously prepared for our visit. We enjoyed morning devotions with them and then they showed us a power point presentation of their work in this project. In all honesty, I learned that my understanding of WV’s work was very limited indeed.

Where does sponsorship money go?

I’d always (mistakenly) thought that our family’s monthly cheque went solely towards our supported child’s education, food, and medical care. I had no idea that our finances went towards community development to benefit the entire village.

Our child receives education and health care, but there’s more. One of his sisters received a sewing machine and learned to sew so she can become economically self-supporting.

Two destitute widows and their children received new homes. Think of a one room concrete house, maybe eight feet wide and 12 feet long, and imagine sharing that with three kids. It’s meagre but beats the mud and rock house that rain destroyed.

A third widow received a toilet and shower facility. Think of a concrete outhouse in the backyard and you get the picture. It sure beats having no shower facilities, and using the open fields as a toilet.

Mothers are learning about child immunizations and HIV awareness, and kids are receiving regular medical checkups. A women’s self-help group meets regularly to help participants become economically independent through the establishment of small business and to inform them of their legal rights (ie: they have a legal right to have sterile instruments used during child delivery and can demand to receive this service rather than risk infection through dirty instruments).

I also learned that in this particular project area, there are six communities working together, and Canadians sponsor more than 2500 children here.

Local leaders decide who needs sponsorship

World Vision’s structure is impressive. The WV India team doesn’t dictate who will or will not receive sponsorship. Rather, it leaves that to  local village leaders who know the families and can determine whose need is greatest.

A committee of locals also determines the community’s greatest needs (ie: do they have an adequate water source or could they benefit from having concrete water storage tanks to collect a six-month supply during the monsoon season?). The WV team networks to disperse funds but each member spends at least two days visiting projects to follow up and build strong relationships with the locals.

I was impressed with the hearts of the men in the WV office. They’re humble and hard-working. They’re passionate about their work and about seeing transformation take place in the lives of those who are the poorest of the poor.