Coronavirus: World Vision's response

World Vision is putting children at the centre of its response effort after finding children have been left isolated and fearful by the COVID-19 outbreak.

While the world focusses on the increasing number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and its health impacts, children have been left to witness friends and families falling ill and being hospitalised, while their schools have closed and the streets fallen silent.

Along with partners, World Vision is responding and supporting government initiatives to keep children and their caregivers safe. In Asia, we are on the ground and working round the clock to promote prevention behaviours and to educate communities on how to keep themselves safe, providing protective equipment to health workers, engaging with government health authorities and planning next steps on how to respond.

In China, World Vision plans to reach 1.3 million people. Our staff have been working tirelessly to provide vital medical gear and equipment to fight the spread of Covid-19 and keep communities and health workers safe. We have also already provided 50,000 masks and thousands of bottles of sanitiser to schools, while over 46,000 more bottles of hand sanitiser and more than 280,000 bottles of disinfectant are ready for distribution to vulnerable families.

Most schools in China have been suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak. Education departments in most provinces are facilitating online teaching, but children are missing the outdoors and socialising with peers. “I like studying at home because I can eat wherever I feel hungry. And I chat with my classmates on WeChat when I miss them. But I wish the outbreak could be over soon. I want to go downstairs to play roller skate with friends," says Linlin.

In Quang Tri Province, together with Hai Lang District Medical Center and the District Education Department, World Vision organised training on Covid-19 prevention and control for teachers in seven project communities.

In Minh Long district, Quang Ngai province, World Vision cooperated with the district Red Cross to organise communication sessions to help teach vulnerable families how to help stop the spread of the virus.

Through crucial sessions like these, children and their families can better understand how coronavirus is transmitted, and equip themselves with the knowledge and skills they need to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them.

Meanwhile, in Vietnam our staff have worked closely with local radio stations to disseminate vital knowledge and skills, helping to ensure communities stay safe.

World Vision Mongolia have distributed food and hygiene supplies to more than 3,000 vulnerable households across 15 provinces.

In Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, China, and the Philippines, educational materials have been produced and distributed to schools, to complement the government's efforts to prevent the further spread of coronavirus, especially in the most vulnerable communities.

You can help us keep children stay safe during coronavirus.