World Vision China Quake Response Upgraded

New Zealanders are being given the opportunity to contribute to a US$14m fund that World Vision’s China office will use to deliver relief and rehabilitation to more than quarter of a million people affected by the recent earthquake and continued aftershocks.

“The original assessment of damage had indicated that World Vision China could handle the relief effort,” says World Vision CEO, Lisa Cescon. “However, as aftershocks increase the devastation, all World Vision support offices around the world have been asked to contribute. We are very happy to step up our response here and provide a way for New Zealanders to be a part of the effort.”

World Vision has launched an 18-day distribution operation in Sichuan Province to bring emergency items to more than 100,000 quake-bound victims in Shifang, Mianzhu, Qingchuan and Yuanba. Scheduled for the period of May 23 to June 9, the operation involves 33 staff from World Vision China Head Office and other offices in Tianjin, Yunnan, Guangxi and Guizhou.

Sourced from nine suppliers in six provinces namely Yunnan, Hunan, Anhui, Jiangxi, Tianjin and Hubei, the emergency items include 30,000 quilts, 6,000 tarpaulins, 1,200 residential tents, 213 school tents, 1,000 child-friendly kits (relief kits), and two child-friendly spaces. Total beneficiaries number 107,520.

The May 23-June 9 distribution operation aims at responding to the most urgent need of shelter of quake-bound victims as well as to the psychological and social needs of disaster-affected children.

As of May 26, Chinese media reported 80,000 dead, 247,000 injured, and 70,000 missing in the quake that happened on May 12 at 2:28pm China time. Aftershocks of 6 to 7 magnitude continue.

Shelter needs being the biggest, distribution of 813 tents is planned for Qingchuan, where World Vision has an ADP Office; Shifang and Yuanba are set to get 100 each. Apart from tents, all three counties of Qingchuan, Shifang, and Mianzhu will each receive 2,000 shelter materials and 10,000 quilts. Yuanba will get 3,000 quilts.

Over the mid-longer term, World Vision rehabilitation work will extend from Sichuan to the north-west area of China covering Shaanxi and Gansu Province. It is planned to rebuild 30 schools benefiting 6,000 people, 10 dormitories benefiting 2,000 people, and 3,000 houses benefiting 12,000 people. Among them, 10 schools and 1,000 houses will be in northwest area.

The new response plan of USD14 million is expected to benefit 265,392 people.

To donate to World Vision's work in China, phone 0800 800 776.

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