World Vision: Top 10 Reasons to Fight Against Poverty

By Michelle Vu

World Vision released on Tuesday a list of ten reasons to resolve to take action against poverty this year.

As one of the largest Christian relief and development organizations in the world, World Vision encourages people to make presentation at church, join an advocacy campaign, inspire the youth group, donate time and money, and pray for this giant problem in 2006.

The ten reasons are as follows:

1. Half the world’s population (2.8 billion) lives on less than $2 a day

Source: The World Bank Group Annual Report 2004

2. 300 million children suffer from hunger

Source: UNICEF 2005

3. Every day, nearly 29,000 children under age 5 die, mostly from malnutrition or preventable disease.

Source: UNICEF State of the World’s Children 2005

4. Man-made food crises have more than doubled since 1992.

Source: FAO State of Food insecurity in the World 2005

5. In the developing world one in five children does not have access to safe water.

Source: UNICEF State of the World’s Children 2005

6. 90 percent of deaths from war since 1990 have been civilians. 80 percent of these have been women and children.

Source: UNICEF State of the World’s Children 2005.

7. 40 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS

Source: UNAIDS Epidemic Update 2005

8. Today, 15 million children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS

Source: UNAIDS Epidemic Update 2005

9. Of the total number of young people infected by HIV/AIDS in Eastern and Southern Africa, 76 percent are women.

Source: UNICEF/UNAIDS 2004

10. Life expectancy in South Africa: Today, 43; before HIV/AIDS, 6.

Source: U.S. Census International Database

Since it was established in 1950 to care for orphans in Asia, World Vision has grown to embrace the larger issues of community development and advocacy for the poor in its mission to help children and their families build sustainable futures. The organization currently serves in nearly 100 countries across the world and "helps communities help themselves" through emergency relief, education, health care, economic development and promotion of justice.

For more information and statistics visit: http://www.worldvision.org/donate.nsf/child/tawv_poverty_12212005

  • ‘Wang Mingdao’s Diary’ reproduction highlights complexities of contemporary Chinese Christianity

    On December 9, the China Graduate School of Theology (中国神学研究院) hosted a public lecture titled “A Courageous Witness in the Times—Launch of Wang Mingdao (王明道)’s Diary.” The lecture, themed “Faith Patterns in Beijing’s Christian Churches Through the Lens of Wang Mingdao’s Diary,” featured Dr. Ni Buxiao (倪步晓), Associate Director and Assistant Professor at the Christian Faith and Chinese Culture Research Center of Alliance Bible Seminary (建道神学院), as the keynote speaker.

  • Floating library ‘Doulos Hope’ arrives in Taiwan; spreading love and hope from a former cruise ship

    Doulos Hope, the international floating book fair ship, has returned to Taiwan and is now docked at Kaohsiung Port, open to the public from December 18, 2024, to January 12, 2025. Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2022, the ship features over 2,000 books on various topics, including faith, science, and art. It is operated by a diverse crew of 140 volunteers from 25 countries, offering services such as education, healthcare, and community outreach. The ship's mission is to spread hope and

  • Chinese Online School of Theology publishes annual ministry report: Expanding Chinese theological education through new strategies

    In the 2023-2024 academic year, New York-based Chinese Online School of Theology (COST) has seen significant development in expanding its ministry in theological education and mission outreach. They have promoted a series of new events and projects to explore different strategies that expand theological education for Chinese ministers. The following are some highlights from the 2023-2024 annual report:

  • Dr. Fenggang Yang: How foreign forces transformed traditional Chinese legal systems

    In a recent lecture to Chinese Christians, scholar Dr. Fenggang Yang (杨凤岗) gave an in-depth analysis of the historical evolution and contemporary significance of the modern legal system in Chinese society. He explored the tensions and integrations between traditional law and modern rule of law, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of China’s traditional legal system and emphasizing the role of foreign influences in introducing modern legal practices into Chinese society.

Top Stories