  About World Vision India
World Vision India is a Christian humanitarian organization working to create lasting change in the lives of children, families and communities living in poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, caste, race, ethnicity or gender. Spread across 174 locations in India, World Vision works through long-term sustainable community development programmes and immediate disaster relief assistance.
Focus on Children:
All development work we carry out is focused on building the community around children so that they have the opportunity to reach for a better future.
Grass root Based:
World Vision's relief and development is community based. Our staff live with the communities at the grass roots, living with them, learning from them and working along with them to find solutions to issues of poverty.
Partnering for Change:
We partner with the people in their development, work with the Government and civil society to usher in a better and brighter future for India.
World Vision has responded to every major disaster in India in the last few decades including the 2004 tsunami , Kashmir earthquake and the recurring flood situations in various states every year, most recently in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. World Vision India is also member of the Planning Commission working group on women and child development and the NGO steering committee of the National Disaster Management Authority
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Sponsors Speak
Here are the experiences of some of our sponsors who visited their sponsored children...
 Mrs. and Mr.Winston Moses The best part of my visit was the moment I saw Sneha, she instantly recognized me and, with great joy, rushed into my arms!
This was one of the greatest moments of my life, which I will truly cherish. I am very grateful to God for this. She showed me her drawings and all the Kannada words that she had written. Although we were miles apart, the feeling that shw will always be part of our little family gives us immense joy. Our grateful thanks to World Vision for the privilege of knowing Sneha and her family.
We left the place with immense joy and peace, knowing that through World Vision's programmes many lives have been changed. Now, people have better living conditions and access to good literacyprogrammes, better medical facilities and clean water.
 Mrs. Hyma Ramachandran Child sponsorship is not just about giving some money. It's easy to give money. What matters is the involvement and the relationship. Giving people your time is more difficult than simply giving away your money.
 Mrs. Neelam Raut I wanted this to be the best birthday yet. We were so happy to see Revati who had come to meet us with her mother. She seemed so shy and innocent. I asked Revati what she likes and then gave her the doll I had brought. She was delighted because she is fond of playing with dolls.The happiness and joy on her face was so touching.
I was so satisfied with the feedback they gave me as to how the organization works and how they contribute to society by catering to each individual's needs and making them independent so that they can work and earn and live a good healthy life. I then realized how my small help made a big difference to society as a whole.
 Mr. Anil Mathew It was indeed a great experience to visit Sudha at Perambalur. My family and I were touched by the warm reception we were given by the project people and especially the small kids.
There is no doubt that World Vision is doing a great job. We observed great commitment and dedication in all the staff. We are thankful to all of them for their love and affection.
The children were very talented and they displayed tremendous self-confidence in whatever they did. Our message to them was "dare to dream and become great men and women"
Our visit to Perambalur will serve as a milestone in our life and it has definitely enthused us to work and do more with World Vision India.
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Real Stories
Against all odds - Gomma Mahoto
 Gomma Mahoto lives with his mother and two siblings in a remote village in Jharkhand.
He lost his father when he was 8 years old. Forced to take care of the family at such a tender age, Gomma worked in a hotel and also worked hard in a cycle repair shop in the evening for more income to educate his younger siblings and take care of his family. School and education seemed way beyond his reach. But, despite his struggle for survival, Gomma did not give up on his dreams of acquiring an education. It was at this juncture, that World Vision enrolled him in the child sponsorship programme. Through his sponsor's support and his hard work and perseverance, Gomma completed his tenth standard and intermediate course in the First Class. He is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Mathematics. Gomma is also running a tuition centre for other children in his village.
Changing their world! - Nafisa Jumma Khan
Nafisa Jumma Khan was born in a family of eight children. With her father's meagre income as a construction worker, the family was struggling for existence. Although Nafisa's parents wanted to educate her, school seemed a luxury, way beyond their reach. To add to the plight of children like Nafisa, child marriage was a very rampant practice in the community. Given the situation, Nafisa too would have been married off at an early age. Her life too would have caught up in an endless cycle of penury and hopelessness. But, life had better things to offer her. Through a kind-hearted person who came forward to sponsor her, Nafisa today is a girl with a dream. She goes to school and aspires for a bright career. Little Nafisa can look forward to the day when her dream of becoming a nurse will be fulfilled.
My sponsor changed my life - Tamilselvi
Tamilselvi is a proud young woman today! She has good reasons to be. From struggling to attend school to completing her B.tech, Tamilselvi has come a long way! With her father's income as a small farmer, the family struggled to make ends meet. Tamilselvi would have given up on her dreams of a better future. But all this changed through her sponsor's long-term and dedicated support, Tamil Selvi has achieved what she could only dream of a few years ago. Apart from sponsoring Tamilselvi, her sponsor went a step further by writing letters to her. The encouraging letters from her sponsor gave her the assurance that someone cared for her. This motivated her to work hard in her academics and achieve her dream.
On the path towards progress - Deepak
Life had not been easy for Deepak. Born to poor parents in the slums of Chennai, Deepak did not have access to even the basic amenities of life. With the father's meagre income as a sanitation worker, the family lived in poverty. All they had was bits of plastic sheeting to make a roof over their heads. Thanks to his sponsor, Deepak and his family are hopeful of the future. Deepak is working hard at school and looks forward to the day when his dreams will come true. Through the income generation schemes, Deepak's mother Govindammal was able to start a cycle rental business. Through the Self Help Group, she started selling powdered masala and was able to make some profit to rebuild their house to start a small business.
A Teacher in the Making - Suman
An enthusiastic and intelligent student, Suman wanted to become a teacher when she grew up. But one day, tragedy struck. Her father was seriously injured in an accident and lost his job. As the family struggled to make ends meet, Suman was forced to discontinue her studies. Often, the family went to sleep on an empty stomach. But what bothered Suman was not hunger… her constant ache was for the school she had left behind. When World Vision's staff heard of Suman they visited her and told her parents that someone would sponsor their child's education. The whole family was ecstatic! Today, because of her sponsor, Suman goes to school again! One day, she knows that her dreams of becoming a teacher will come true.
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Sponsored Children - Where are they now?
Dr.Sunita uses her skills to serve the needy community
 Dr.Sunita Grasia says that without her child sponsor, she would never have reached so far. Her victory is outstanding because she comes from a remote community in Rajasthan, where most girls are married off early. "My sponsor has re-written my destiny," she says. Today, Dr. Sunita is on fire and serves her community members with zeal. One sponsor's support continues to change lives!
Akbar champions the cause of exploited children
"If my sponsor had not come forward, I would have been a painter of billboards or a mechanic," says 19-year-old Akbar Ameerjaan. But today, Akbar is doing his engineering in Telecommunication. His future is bright and he is full of hope.
When he was only 14, Akbar was elected as the General Secretary for the National Council of Working Children. Now, he is a consultant for various child labour organizations and continues to champion the cause of exploited children at various rallies. Truly, sponsorship changes lives! Mitcy gives back what she received double measure!
When Mitcy Fernando's father fell ill and lost her job, she thought she had nothing to look forward to. But her sponsor helped Mitcy achieve her dreams. She completed her M.S. in Software Engineering at BITS Pilani and now works with WIPRO Technologies. Today, she sponsors two children." One day, I know they will be able to stand on their own feet just like I am doing now, " she says.
Reaching out because her sponsor reached in
Shanthi walks to school with a broad smile on her face. From being a potential school dropout to a well-liked teacher in her village, Shanthi has certainly come a long way.
"My sponsors, Mrs. Banu and Mr. Gautham came into my life at the right time," she says. "Had it not been for them, I would have remained illiterate. But today, I am able to serve others with my gift. " |
Frequently Asked Questions
1.What is World Vision?World Vision is a Christian relief and development agency helping children and their communities towards a wholesome future filled with hope, dignity, justice and peace. Reaching out to the poorest of the poor in India without respect to caste, creed, race or religion, World Vision works through partnerships to bring about lasting change and build our nation. Internationally, World Vision emerged out of a faithful expression of God's love by Robert Pierce, a war correspondent during the Korean War in 1947. World Vision's work in India began in the year 1962, in a small way in Calcutta. Today, our staff work in close to 5000 communities, touching the lives of over 24 million people in India. World Vision is a registered society under the Tamilnadu Societies Act 1975, with its National Office in Chennai. World Vision is an independent entity within our country with a distinctly national identity. An active Indian Board of Directors govern World Vision. World Vision India is a member of the international partnership of World Vision, which works in around 100 countries. World Vision has consultative status with UNESCO as well as official relations with key UN agencies including UNICEF, WHO, UNHCR and ILO. 2. What does World Vision do?Children are the focus of World Vision's work. We work together with the communities, families and children in their journey towards development. We do this by working with the communities to help them reach the basic standards of physical, intellectual, socio-economic and moral well-being. World Vision facilitates the formation and growth of community-based organisations (CBOs), which are able to identify the problems faced by the community, especially children, and work with them to find solutions. This is our strategy for sustainable development. World Vision also responds to disasters due to natural calamities in the country. World Vision has responded to every major disaster, starting from the cyclone in Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh in 1977 to the floods in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. World Vision stays in the disaster struck area until the community is back on its feet. 3. Wheredoes World Vision work?World Vision's work in India is spread over 24 states across the country.Today our staff work in close to 5000 communities, touching the lives of a more than 24 million people, which includes 1,65,000 children directly benefiting through Child Sponsorship. 93 lakh children are benefited through various other programmes of World Vision around the country through the dedicated work of our staff in India. We work along with the communities, families and children in their journey towards reaching self-sufficiency. Our unique way of doing this is through integrated development programmes that bring about lasting change in the communities. World Vision works in the communities through 106 Area Development Programmes (ADPs). Each ADP touches the lives of over 20,000 to 1,00,000 people. World Vision India's nine project offices are based in Delhi, Lucknow, Bhopal, Ranchi, Guwahati, Kolkatta, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai and they coordinate the work in these projects. World Vision International works in around 100 countries across the globe. In 2003, World Vision was active in the following countries: AfricaAlgeria - Angola - Burundi Chad - Democratic Republic of Congo - Ethiopia - Ghana - Kenya - Lesotho - Liberia - Malawi - Mali - Mauritania - Mozambique - Niger - Rwanda - Senegal - Sierra Leone - Somalia - South Africa - Sudan - Swaziland - Tanzania - Uganda - Zambia - Zimbabwe - AsiaBangladesh - Cambodia - China - East Timor - India - Indonesia - Japan - Laos - Malaysia - Mongolia - Myanmar - Nepal - North Korea - Philippines - Singapore - South Korea - Sri Lanka - Taiwan - Thailand - Vietnam - Central Asia - fghanistan - Pakistan - Uzbekistan - EuropeAlbania - Armenia - Austria - Azerbaijan - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Denmark - Finland - France - Georgia - Germany - Ireland - Kosovo - Macedonia - Serbia-Montenegro - Netherlands - Romania - Russia (Chechnya/Ingushetia) - Spain - Switzerland - United Kingdom Latin AmericaArgentina - Bolivia - Brazil - Chile - Colombia - Costa Rica - Dominican Republic - Ecuador - El Salvador - Guatemala - Haiti - Honduras - Mexico - Nicaragua - Peru Middle EastUAE (Dubai) - Iran - Iraq - Jerusalem/West Bank/Gaza - Lebanon - Syria - Jordan North AmericaCanada - United States of America OceaniaAustralia - New Zealand - Papua New Guinea - Solomon Islands - Vanuatu 4. Whatis Child Sponsorship?Child Sponsorship is the commitment you, as a sponsor, make to change the life of a poor and needy child and his or her community through regular contributions. It is a relationship between you, your sponsored child, your sponsored child's family and community. This relationship is aimed at giving a better life not only to the child but also to the whole family and the entire community as well while you have the satisfaction of not only the relationship with the child and his or her family, but also of having invested in building a new India, through our children. 4.1 Is ChildSponsorship an effective way to help?Yes. The best way to change the life of a child is to change the world in which he or she lives. By sponsoring a child, you will help to bring about a lasting change in the child's community and enable the child to grow up in a much happier and healthier environment. Your sponsorship helps fund areas such as healthcare, agriculture, and education—whatever the community needs most. We do this in partnership with the local people. The most vulnerable children are selected by the community to be a part of the Child Sponsorship programme. When you become a child sponsor, you can see for yourself the progress of your sponsored child's development and also that of the community. 4.2 How canI be sure that the money I send is managed correctly? Who audits World Vision's accounts?World Vision is committed to the highest levels of stewardship of all its resources. Through systematic monitoring and evaluation of all its programmes, World Vision seeks ongoing improvement of the quality of its programmes. In addition, World Vision has systematic financial audits (internal and external) each year of all its programmes. Deloitte Haskinas & Sells are our current external auditors. In addition to these annual reviews and audits, World Vision maintains a high level of accountability to its key stakeholders starting from the communities that we work in, the government and our sponsors and donors. Total transparency in transactions with the government and our supporters is the norm. Further, any sponsor is free to visit the child or children that he or she sponsors to see the impact sponsorship is making in the lives of these children. Our annual report contains the audited financial statement and is available on request. Reports are sent to the Home ministry / Income tax office. Many sponsors have visited World Vision projects to see for themselves that the money they donate gets there and is used wisely. Our sponsors receive a community newsletter each year, which reports on how sponsors' money is helping to change people's lives. 4.3 How doesmy sponsored child benefit?World Vision aims to promote lasting change in the life of the sponsored child and our aim is to benefit and encourage every person in the child's community to become a strong and productive member, thus moving the whole community towards self-reliance. Your support will provide a child with supplementary nutrition, education and health care, and also help the family as well as the community that your sponsored child lives in. This gives a chance for children to experience a normal, healthy and happy childhood. 4.4 Why shouldI help a child who lives with his/her parents?World Vision is about building sustainable communities for children so that they have a better and different future. World Vision assists children living with parents because such assistance enables them to remain as a family unit. In many families, either the father or mother is dead or disabled or one of the parents has abandoned the family. In other instances the parents are very poor and the income is too little for survival. Therefore World Vision helps to keep the family together and the children have one or both parents with whom they can share their love. 5. Child Sponsorship in operation5.1 How longcan I sponsor a child?Child Sponsorship is generally a long-term commitment, up to 10 years or more. You can sponsor the same child for as long as the project continues or as long as the child remains in the sponsorship programme (often well into their teens). Once the sponsorship project meets its objectives, it is time to celebrate the many achievements—healthier children and better living conditions, educational programmes that work and a community with greater confidence for a more positive future. On occasion, there may be a change in the circumstances of either your sponsored child or you, which may reduce the period of sponsorship. 5.2 Is therea specific age for a child to be sponsored?Not really. Normally school-going children are sponsored. However, you are free to request a younger child. However, if there are specific requests from the sponsors we try our best to comply with their wishes. 5.3 What arePartner ID and Child ID? Do I need to mention this whenever I correspond?When you become a Sponsor, we will send you a reference number, which is called the Partner ID. This is useful for processing transactions quickly. In the same way, when a child becomes a part of the Child Sponsorship programme, he or she is assigned a reference number, which is called the Child ID. We will send you these when you become a sponsor. It is necessary that you mention your Partner ID and Child ID in all correspondence. It helps us to sort and process correspondences quickly, especially when you send your contribution. 5.4 Do Iget a progress report on my sponsored child and his or her community?When you become a sponsor, you will receive a pack containing a photo along with the personal details of the child and his or her family and also information about the community where he/she lives. A year later, you will receive your sponsored child's annual progress report. The community newsletter and a greeting card will also be sent to you during the year. The child will also write back to you if you write to him or her. 5.5 How arechildren chosen for sponsorship?As a norm, World Vision works with the communities forming a group of community members that make collective decisions for the community. The most vulnerable children in the project area are selected by the community group to take part in the Child Sponsorship programme. Families are also asked if they want to be part of the sponsorship programme, with the understanding that all the children and families in the community will share the benefits across the community. 5.6 Am Ithe only sponsor for my sponsored child?Yes. World Vision assigns only one sponsor per sponsored child. 5.7 Can Isponsor more than one child?Yes. You can sponsor as many children as you wish to. There are many children waiting for sponsorship. 5.8 Can Isponsor an orphaned or handicapped child?World Vision does not run orphanages. However, if there are orphaned or handicapped children within a community, you can sponsor them if you wish to. 6. Payment6.1 How doI send my contribution (sponsorship gift) to World Vision?The sponsorship gift amount is payable monthly, quarterly, biannually or annually; whichever is most convenient to you. You can send it by money order, demand draft, cheque or credit card (even through the Internet). You can send post-dated cheques or authorize monthly deductions from your credit card until further written notice from you. Please do not send Postal Orders and also avoid sending cash through mail. Always make your cheques / DDs favouring “World Vision India”. To make it more convenient for you, you can make your payments through our new payment gateway online. 6.2 How canI be sure my payment through the Internet is safe?You can be assured that all transactions on our site are safe. Online security is a primary concern and that is why the World Vision India site is certified as a VeriSign secure site. 6.3 Can Isend money to the child directly or to the local World Vision office where I live?Receipts for all contributions are issued only by the department for Donor Relations at the National Office in Chennai. To avoid unnecessary delays, please send your contributions directly to the Donor Relations department at the Chennai office for quick receipting. 6.4 How doI update my payment details or change payment method?If you wish to change your payment method to credit card or update your credit card details, please contact our Donor Relations department at the National office in Chennai. You can call us on 044-24807070 or fax us at 044-24807242 or you can write to Donor Relations, World Vision of India, 16 V.O.C. Main Road, Kodambakkam, Chennai - 600 024. You can also e-mail us at indiasponsors@wvi.org. For further details you can always get in touch with us through our Toll Free Number 1600-425-4550 (during business hours between 9:00am and 5:00 pm) 6.5 Do Ineed to inform you about my credit card expiry date?Yes, this would help us to process transactions quickly and avoid unnecessary delays. For any change in the credit card details, you have to fill a new authorization form. 6.6 How muchof the contribution I send is tax exempted?All donations to World Vision are tax exempted under section 80G of the Income Tax Act. Our receipt carries this message and the receipt will suffice for claiming tax exemption. The tax rebate is 50% of your contribution to World Vision. 6.7 How doI update my contact details?
If you have changed your postal address, contact phone number, email address or your name, please contact our Donor Relations department at the National office in Chennai.
6.8 What ifI cannot continue my sponsorship payments? What will happen to the child?We understand that financial and personal situations change. If you need to cancel, just let us know and we will find another sponsor for your child. Your child will not be neglected. World Vision will ensure that the funding commitment to the project is maintained. The benefits as planned for the children in the community will be carried out. 7. Child Sponsorship - Letters, Gifts & Visits7.1 Can Iwrite to my sponsored child?You can certainly write to your sponsored child. In fact, we encourage our sponsors to write to their children so as to get to know them and their family better. Your sponsored child can also write to you. Many sponsors and sponsored children find this a rewarding experience. If the child is very young or does not know how to write, someone will probably help him/her to write or the project staff will write on their behalf. 7.2 To whomshould I address the letters and cards I send to my sponsored child?Any communication to your child should be addressed to Donor Relations, World Vision India, at the Chennai Office. Our address is:16, V.O.C. Main Road,Kodambakkam,Chennai-600 024. For quick reference and easy processing it is also important that you write your full name, Sponsor Reference Number, the child's name and ID Number either on the envelope or in the correspondence. Your Sponsor Reference Number is always found on the right portion of your receipt, after your name, e.g. 1000318 or 994536. You can find your Sponsored Child's ID number in the Picture Folder.eg. DODAPPA, Lakshmi - ID. No: 167760-0025 We do not encourage sponsors to write directly to their sponsored children as the address of sponsors may fall into wrong hands and be misused. 7.3. How canI help you process receipts faster?It is sufficient if you mention your full name and Sponsor Reference Number on the reverse side of the Cheque or DD. Please mention the address and pin code of the bank for outstation cheques. When we receive Cheques or DDs without names or addresses they are put into an Anonymous Account. We correct the receipt to the sponsor's name only when the sponsor asks for the receipt. Therefore, please write your full name and address on the envelope or in your letter. 7.4 Can Isend extra gift money to my sponsored child?Extra gift money either for the child's education, medical needs or project needs is always welcome. 7.5. Why doyou waste money on glossy and frequent mailers and appeals?People lead such fast paced lives these days and have very little time to spare. Bearing this in mind our materials are designed to attract the attention of the recipient. Also, much of our printing costs are subsidised by our printers, who charge the lowest that is possible for them—sometimes even at the cost of losing out on their profits.
We try to average about eight mailers a year. This includes the appeals that are sent during a calamity. 7.6 Can Ivisit my sponsored child?
Yes. You are most welcome to visit the child you sponsor and meet the whole family. 7.7 Can Iadopt my sponsored child?No. World Vision does not organize adoption. All our children live with their families in the community and the goal of sponsorship is to build up their community around them rather than relocating the children. 8. World Vision's work8.1 World Visionreceives foreign money, why are you asking Indians to contribute?Sponsorship is more than making a monthly gift to a child. It is investing in a different future for our nation through these children. We believe that this is an opportunity for all Indians to partner with us in this nation-building process. Further, your regular gifts not only bring lasting change to a community, but also give you the joy and satisfaction of having made the difference. We want to give Indians a chance to make a meaningful gift that will change the life of a child. Today World Vision has 26 ADPs - supported exclusively by Indians. - ADPs (Area Development Programmes)- Each ADP touches over 20,000 to 1,00,000 lives which includes children 8.2 World Visioncalls itself a Christian organization, what does this mean? Is World Vision involved in conversions?No. World Vision is not involved in conversions. World Vision works to serve the poor because of our faith. By policy and practice, we extend help to all deserving people regardless of caste, creed, sex, religion or community. We know that as important as it is for us to maintain our own identity as Christians, it is also necessary to recognize and respect the cultural identities of the people and communities with whom we work. World Vision does not engage in offering inducements or pressures to change faith. Our policy forbids this. 8.3 Do onlyChristians receive help from World Vision?No. World Vision serves the poorest of the poor without any discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or religion. |