COVID-19 Status Update for Child Sponsors

World Vision Cares

Child Sponsorship: Protecting Children's Health

The scale and spread of COVID-19 globally is a concern for us. In many countries where World Vision sponsored children live, the risks are even greater – health systems can be weak and many people won’t have doctors and health professionals to turn to if they fall sick. We are monitoring the situation in every country we work in.

Our Area Programmes supported by child sponsors are now focused on protecting children and community from the spread of the virus.

Child Sponsorship has made it possible for World Vision to respond to this crisis from the beginning.

We are supporting efforts by local health authorities, schools and local partners to prevent the spread of the virus, sharing stay-healthy messaging, helping to set up public handwashing stations, and distributing soap, sanitiser, and masks where appropriate. These preventative measures have always been an important part of our child sponsorship programme because in places of extreme poverty improving health, water, sanitation and hygiene saves lives – and now, more than ever.

To keep you informed on the situation in your sponsored child’s community, we will be providing reports here regularly. Please come back to this page for the latest updates.

You can also refer to our COVID-19-Child Sponsorship FAQs for more information.

In order to protect the world’s most vulnerable against the rapid global spread of COVID-19, World Vision is actively working against COVID-19 right now – everywhere we work – in nearly 100 countries worldwide. Read more here.

[Last Updated on 29 March 2021]

Bangladesh (Wazipur)

Children in the community have been reported to be safe and are still at home as schools are still closed. However, the team has reported that the infection rate has been gradually reducing and vaccines are reported to be available in the local health complex.

Despite this, the team continues to carry out the following:

  • Distributing masks, soaps and toothpaste among 250 families
  • Raising awareness in the community on social distancing, handwashing, wearing masks and changing food habits to increase their immunity power.
  • Distributed protective equipment among 40 government health service providers.
  • Distributed hand sanitisers and masks for 37 front line volunteers.
  • To distribute hygiene kits to 100 most vulnerable households.

 

Cambodia (Kirivong)

Children in Kirivong have returned to school normally with the necessary measures in place and being practised. They also return home directly after school to minimise their movements.

World Vision continues to support the community and the children during COVID-19 by:

  • Contributing books and educational materials to schools and reading clubs
  • Supporting 100 COVID-19 affected individuals and families with Most Vulnerable Children (MVCs) with Cash Transfer

Assessing and identifying the most affected families and MVCs to respond and support them throughout COVID-19.

China (Yaozhou)

As the COVID-19 situation continues to be well controlled, the community has mostly resumed life as per normal. Children have returned to school as per normal. However, schools remain under close management and outsiders are not allowed to enter.

World Vision will be focusing on implementing structured life skills learning activities and improving the learning facilities and environment.

Ethiopia (Yaya Gulele)

Children are safe and have also returned to school, adhering to the local preventive and safety measures such as social distancing, handwashing and the use of sanitisers.

World Vision continues to support the children’s education by providing them with stationery materials, hygienic materials and food items. The team will also continue to raise awareness among children and their families through training workshops, one-to-one household visits and monitoring visits.

They are also working closely with the local health institutions and relevant authorities to ensure that children and families are practising COVID-19 preventive measures.

Indonesia (Ende)

The children have remained home since last year and have been studying from home. It is estimated that schools might start again in June/July after local teachers have been vaccinated, according to the government’s plans.

While children are still studying from home, World Vision has been supporting teachers to improve their teaching capacity, provide psycho-social support for the students and adapt to the new normal when schools reopen. The team has also worked to provide children with books and toys to further engage as they study from home.

Apart from this, the team will also be supporting the community to adapt to the new normal by:

  • Distribution of face masks, hand sanitisers and thermo-guns to the village health posts and schools
  • Distribution of COVID-19 prevention books
  • Counselling for community members for Infant and Young Child feeding
  • Generating awareness of positive parenting
  • Capacity building and implementation of standard health protocols in the village health posts for children under 5-years-old, mothers and pregnant women
Jeruselam, West Bank (South Hebron)

Children in the community are reported to be safe and to be staying home.

However, due to new measures announced by the local government, all public and private school have suspended classes since 28 February 2021. However, students are studying from home as per the guidelines of the Ministry of Education.

World Vision is continuing to support students and the community through:

  • Providing hygiene tools to schools and working with teachers and students through the health department.
  • Reaching out to the Most Vulnerable Households, especially mothers with children under three-years-old, with household visits and protective tools to support and protect them from spreading the virus.
  • Creating COVID-19 awareness messages on child protection and COVID-19 prevention.
  • Supporting students with specials needs with masks and sterilizers.
Mongolia (Selenge)

Children have returned to schools, even those in kindergartens. However, school hours have been shortened and extra-curricular activities have been suspended for now.

World Vision continues to support families in the community in the following ways:

  • Providing unconditional CASH support for the families of Most Vulnerable Children (MVCs)

Planning to visit the children’s households under the guidance and recommendations of the country’s National Emergency Management Agency.

Myanmar (Taikkyi)

Due to the current political situation in the country, the community members are reported to be anxious, panicked and afraid. However, the team has reported that the children remain at home and continue to be safe.

Because of COVID-19 and the political climate, schools remained closed. Children are spending their time with their parents, playing with friends and studying from home through the “Learning from Home” kits distributed by World Vision.

While the World Vision team is continuing to work from home, for their safety and security as well, they are working to implement a home-schooling programme for children in the kindergarten classes and reading club programmes for primary school children, in order to continue supporting their education.

Nepal (Sindhuli East)

Children have returned to school with masks and are also reported to be frequently washing their hands. They are also reported to be coping well with the new measures. World Vision has been supporting them by establishing handwashing corners and are looking to further support them by providing stationery items, school bags and sanitary pads (for girls.

The team will also be focusing on providing Most Vulnerable Families with livelihood support, in partnership with the local government and will also be working with the community leaders and partners to identify impacted businesses, local food chains and health systems on delivering essential health services for community members.

Philippines (Antique)

Children aged 15 and below and the elderly aged 65 and above are prohibited from going out as curfews are still in place.  However, as they have adapted to the new normal, children are continuing to stick to their daily routines such as helping their parents with gardening, learning from home and playing with children in their neighbourhood.

Children are still learning from home through the country’s modular approach as schools have yet to resume. World Vision will be conducting an “Unlock Literacy Training” for parents in the community, teaching them to effectively address their children’s educational needs, during this period of distance learning.

The team will also be facilitating home visits to families with children reported to have health and/or child protection cases to provide the necessary support. They will also be organising a virtual forum for children and youths to create awareness on managing mental health challenges and child protection issues to ensure support is provided during lockdowns/quarantines.

In addition to these, the team will also be providing selected community members with:

  • Financial literacy training
  • Training to improve existing knowledge and skills for vegetable banking
  • Distribution of input-seeds
  • Rice incentives
Sri Lanka (Lindula)

Children are reported to be remaining safe and have returned to school since February 2021. Schools are also following and implementing government required measures. However, as students are currently sitting for government examinations, schools are also closed for their midterm vacation.

World Vision has also been supporting families and children by:

  • Providing necessary equipment like PPE kits, hand gloves and sanitisers.
  • Providing dry rations for quarantined families
  • Providing dry ration packs for the vulnerable community members and children.

The team continues to spread awareness among community members to minimise the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases.

Thailand (Bo Kluea)

While the community is situated in a “green zone”, community members are still required to follow strict rules for contact-tracing and social distancing. Schools remain open and students are still required to wear surgical masks.

World Vision will also be implementing the following support from March 2021 onwards:

  • Educational supplies and equipment
  • Learning materials
  • Income generation and food support for families
  • Support in tuition fee, dormitory fee and learning equipment for secondary students and those pursuing bachelor degree

Apart from adhering to the local COVID-19 laws and precautions, such as wearing masks, washing and sanitising of hands, it is also reported that life has almost gone back to normal for children. 

 

Vietnam (Son Tra)

Children remain safe and have returned to school, following COVID-19 measures of wearing masks and necessary handwashing practices.

The community has been reported to be gradually recovering from the impact of COVID-19. However, as families have been financially impacted by the job losses because of COVID-19, World Vision has been providing livelihood support for households to empower them to increase their income and capacity.

The team has also been creating awareness for parents on Positive Discipline, to create a safe and thriving environment for their children.

Zambia (Musosolokwe)

The country is facing its second wave of COVID-19 infections. However, the children have been reported to be safe, coping and adjusting well to the new normal.

Schools have been opened since 18 January 2021 and World Vision has been supporting them by providing them with the necessary hygiene items and the team will continue to sensitise the students and community members.