How our international charity works

We're relentless in our mission

For over 70 years we've been working with communities, donors, partners, and governments to transform the lives of the world's most vulnerable children. Together, we tackle poverty at its roots, working with communities for long term change, so progress is continued long after we’ve left.

As a Christian charity, we work in the most dangerous places to help all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. This work has brought better futures for 200 million vulnerable children and counting.

We couldn't do what we do without supporters like you.

How World Vision works with communities

Your support transforms lives - and over our 70 years' experience, we have developed and honed our partnership with communities to ensure your donations lead to lasting transformation.

Why are we different?

Sustainable and community-led

We employ locally, and listen and work with communities for sustainable change

Child focused and impactful

We amplify children's voices, partnering with communities to support them

Faith based and accountable

Inspired by our Christian faith, we work holistically to help all children

One thing that I love about World Vision is every place they go, they go in with an exit plan. They don’t want people dependent on them.

Hugh Jackman

Academy Award-nominated actor

The principles behind our work

You deserve to know where your donations are going and what difference they're making in children’s lives. That’s why we’re transparent about how we work, what drives us and why we work the way we do.

Female World Vision protection officer from DRC talking to cheerful young child

Local

Most of our staff work in their home regions, so they know the culture, language and communities they're working alongside – including working with local organisations to support their growth. Our grassroots approach means staff are friends, confidants and trustworthy partners, which can be essential in collaborating for projects and for building trust to tackle misinformation. We are proud to collaborate with people who share our values towards children: compassion, love, and mercy.

Male World Vision staff talking to a crowd of Somali people

Accountable

We're committed to being fully accountable to children and communities, as well as to our donors, supporters and peers in the aid sector. Consulting with communities, collecting and acting on feedback and complaints, and promoting participation are essential in being accountable. In addition to publishing impact reports, annual reports and providing financial transparency, we're members of various charitable regulators to ensure we're accountable for every penny of your support.

Child-focused

Our focus is firmly on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. As well as fulfilling children's basic needs, we centre their voices in our projects and support them to build self-confidence, skills and independence. We are committed to helping children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, because we believe all children have a right to experience the fullness of life.

Woman in Cambodia feeds a young boy from a spoon and small bowl

Committed

Because of your support, we can commit to the communities we work alongside, staying for up to 15 years to ensure families are self-sufficient, healthy and thriving. When disaster strikes, we are there, quickly providing immediate support – and we stay helping to rebuild lives for children, families, and communities.

Parent and child sit in a field of crops they have grown in Zambia

Sustainable

Our community-based and community-owned programmes mean we’re confident that once we have left a community they will continue to thrive on their own. Communities are empowered to set their own goals and lead their own development so that progress made is sustained, and continued, long after we’ve left.

World Vision staff stands shoulder to shoulder with another partner, face away from camera

Partnering for impact

We are proud to work with anyone who will help us have a greater impact and provide better futures for vulnerable children. In the UK we're one of the 14 leading humanitarian organisations making up the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), globally responding to emergencies and we have over 70 years of experience working with communities, supporters, INGOs, partners, academic bodies and governments to transform children's lives.

Advocating

We give children and their communities a voice on world stages, being regularly consulted by the UK government on policies that affect the world’s most vulnerable children. Our supporters petition governments, run awareness campaigns and support communities, and we advocate in countries across the world at all levels for child protection laws, and for the proper implementation of existing laws.

Young Zambian girl with eyes shut and hands together in prayer position

Faith based

Our Christian faith drives our work, as we believe that everyone is created in God’s image, and has a right to a safe, healthy, hopeful, fulfilling, and meaningful life. We serve and work with all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender and work together with organisations and people of all faiths and none to offer hope for a better life for children.

Three Kenyan school children sitting at a desk wearing orange and green uniforms, the middle child is waving and smiling

With a holistic approach

Experience has taught us that the most effective way to transform lives is through a holistic approach. We work with communities to create a lasting impact by tackling the root causes of poverty. Our ultimate goal is to ensure all children are cared for, protected, educated, and feel loved and cherished.

Your support transforms lives

Together, we have supported people and communities to work their way out of poverty, disasters and exploitation across the world. In 2022, UK supporters reached more than 3 million people, including over 1.3 million children, by tackling the root causes of poverty.

Be part of our work

With your help, we can do even more; ensuring children are protected today and empowered for tomorrow.

Help protect children

How our faith supports our work

Our faith not only drives our work, but actively supports it. In addition to our many partners, we work with faith organisations to bring communities together, build trust around important health ventures such as vaccines and to ensure people’s voices are heard. Religious leaders of all faiths are uniquely placed to understand the needs of the most vulnerable in their communities, bring about changes in thinking, foster dialogue, and motivate their congregations to meet community needs.

Inspired by our common values, we seek out and work with these leaders to address underlying values and norms that prevent children from living full lives; issues like HIV and AIDS, maternal and child health, gender equality, and child protection. We work with them to keep communities safe and united when disasters such as Ebola and Covid strike.

Our faith allows us to build deep relationships that support local communities, working here with faith leaders in Sierra Leone to protect the community against Ebola and coronavirus.

How faith impacts our work

Who we work with

Our work is driven by a relentless desire to transform the lives of children. To this end, we build partnerships with a variety of individuals and organisations to ensure we have the greatest impact possible in the lives of the families we serve. We are a trusted partner to institutions such as the World Food Programme and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, an official charity partner with the Harlem Globetrotters and have worked with passionate child ambassadors including Meghan Markle and Jerome Flynn.

Meet some of our partners and learn how we work together to offer children the hope of a better life.