World vision is one of the most popular NGOs in Korea because one writer, Bi-ya Han, became famous with her many travel journals. During her around-the-world trip, she found many different life styles, and tragedy and sorrow which are cause by poverty and war. She introduced many stories and her opinions, and many Korean read her books and started to think about developing countries. Bi-ya Han entered World Vision after her around-the-world trip, and kept introduce stories in international emergency aid. Many students were started to be interested in international emergency aid, and had dreams about it. Many people became sponsors of child in other country who is starving and dying. Many actor and actress also joined this program, and also advertised it. Other similar NGOs also became famous with World Vision in Korea. Therefore, World Vision is very famous in Korea, and I want to write about it.
Biya Han in Zimbabwe
World Vision was founded by one man, Bob Pierce, who was the Reverend in 1950. In 1947, Rev. Pierce met one lady during a trip to China, and she introduced him to one child who was abandoned. She could not raise the child, so Rev. Pierce gave his five dollars and promised her that he would give the same amount of money each month to help the child. After it happened, he began to build an organization that can help the world’s children, and the first sponsorship program began in Korea where thousands of orphans were suffering after the Korean War.
World Vision was founded by the Reverend, so it contains Christian’s color, too. However, they do not force their religion, and their goal is not the changing people’s religions. They keep Christian’s heart, and work for children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. World Vision has three major parts for their goal. The first subject is transforming communities. World Vision partners with communities work together to improve their lives and overcome their poverty or troubles in their lives. World Vision offers many knowledge and sources for improving their communities, and many programs, which are education, health, agriculture, water and sanitation, are also offered, and World Vision expect that communities can keep improve their lives even after they leave. Second subject is humanitarian and emergency affairs. World Vision supports the people or refugees when natural disaster or war was caused due to save life and reduce people’s pain, and help them to come back their normal lives as soon as possible. World Vision also research about high-risk area before something is happened, and prepare for disaster. Third subject is advocacy. World Vision takes the voices of the people and communities, which are living in poverty and do not have power. There are many unfair policies, systems and thinking, and these make many people to live in poverty, so World Vision empowers communities to know about their unfair situation to demand their right.
People can participate in World Vision through various ways. People can participate with one time donation, but the most famous program is 1:1 sponsorship program. People can sponsor a child or family who are specifically connected with them. Sponsorship program is not a just one time donation, but it is a continuous help program that are needed only 35$ per month. If we endure several cups of coffees in Starbucks and several times of fabulous dinners, then one child who are living in other country can use drink clean water, eat normal meals and keep studying for finishing the minimum required education instead of working for his family. People, who joined this sponsorship, can write a letter for their connected child, and they even can send some presents for the child. Sometimes the children write a letter for their sponsor who is new family. This is not a regular donation because people can feel love and worth more. Therefore, many people join the sponsorship program of World Vision because small amount money is not a burden, but continuous support can change one’s life, and interestingly, this child sponsorship occupy approximately half of the funding for World Vision’s program.
World Vision consist of over one hundred countries’ groups. Each World Visions in different countries follow same mission and value. World Vision International (WVI) was established in 1977 to coordinate all different countries partner, and its offices are located in London, Geneva and etc. World Vision also has local offices in each continent; for example, the office of South Africa is located in Lusaka, Zambia.
Each World Vision’s groups in different countries are dealing with different problem. Although Korea World Vision is keep develop, some people doubt this World Vision has no relation with Christian’s missionary work and no problem with using money. However, World Vision’s popularity in Korea is very meaningful because Korean was the first beneficiary, and after 60 years, they turned to the country that helps other countries. Now, Korea World Vision is the fourth scale country that support abroad of whole World Visions. Furthermore, Korea is the only country that was changed from beneficiary country to assistant country.
