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 26 June 2020]

Bangladesh (Wazipur)

Registered Children Affected in Wazipur Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Wazipur Area Programme: 0

More than 387,000 people in the country of Bangladesh have been affected by Cyclone Amphan which hit the region on 20 May, compounding the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis. Bangladesh confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 7 March and the government imposed a national shutdown, restricting people’s movement across the country. The restrictions are making it very challenging to provide much-needed assistance to communities struck by the cyclone.

World Vision has reached over two million people, including one million children, through our COVID-19 emergency response. We have been working to limit the spread of COVID-19 by educating children, families and communities in prevention methods, with a special focus on refugees living in Cox’s Bazaar, which was also damaged by the cyclone. We have already reached over 703,000 people through COVID-19 awareness posters and social media messaging and have trained 1,200 faith leaders on how to share COVID-19 prevention messages in their own communities. We have provided more than 17,000 people with handwashing soap and buckets, set up 1,200 community handwashing facilities and we are also training community health workers, faith leaders and child protection workers on COVID-19 prevention, distributing food packs and cash vouchers, and providing vulnerable children with psychosocial support.

All of the communities we partner with in Bangladesh are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. Most WV Bangladesh staff are working from home. We have put planned learning events and gatherings on hold so we can adapt our programme to respond to COVID-19 and help keep kids and communities safe, but we are continuing to check on families and provide them with prevention information by contacting families by mobile phone.

*Bangladesh is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Cambodia (Kirivong)

Registered Children Affected in Kirivong Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Kirivong Area Programme: 0

Cambodia has confirmed cases of COVID-19 and the government closed schools, cinemas and other public gatherings. Public transport was suspended, travel between provinces banned and land borders with Thailand and Vietnam closed.

World Vision is working with community networks to promote COVID-19 awareness and prevention, provide more than 726,000 people with basic hygiene kits including soap and sanitizer, and provide medical facilities with hygiene and medical equipment like thermometers, gloves and hand towels. We are partnering with the World Food Programme and the local government to distribute emergency food supplies to more than 21,000 vulnerable children. We have also launched a positive parenting and home-based learning social media and radio campaign, and provided over 1,000 children with books, toys and pencils. And we are working with the government, UN and other humanitarian organisations to monitor the situation and coordinate the response.

All of the communities we partner with in Cambodia are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. WV Cambodia staff are working from home where possible, or in our offices where necessary. We are working with community members to continue monitoring sponsored children’s wellbeing as they are able, as there is a risk of health and child protection issues increasing throughout the crisis.

China (Yaozhou)

Registered Children Affected in Yaozhou Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Yaozhou Area Programme: 0

There are still restrictions in many parts of the country, including school closures and inter-province travel restrictions. World Vision is now preparing for early recovery activities and are conducting a needs assessment.

Throughout the crisis, we have been working to limit the spread of the virus by providing families and schools with basic hygiene supplies, equipping families with information about sanitation and mental health, supporting health systems and workers through the provision of personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, and helping children impacted by COVID-19 by partnering with the National Institute of Psychology on improving the capacity of teachers, psychologists and welfare workers to address the emotional impact of the virus.

Over 350,000 people have been reached through water, sanitation, hygiene and health interventions. All of the communities we partner with in China have experienced restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. However, if the current recovery phase continues, it is expected that restrictions will continue to lift and schools reopen. WV China staff continue to monitor sponsored children through community leaders and partners, via mobile phones and alternative methods.

*China is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Ethiopia (Yaya Gulele)

Registered Children Affected in Yaya Gulele Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Yaya Gulele Area Programme: 0

Ethiopia confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 13 March. The country is also managing cholera outbreaks in two regions. The government closed all land borders and introduced mandatory quarantine for all travellers arriving at airports. Schools have been closed and university campuses have restricted student entry. Public gatherings at sports venues and religious institutions were banned. The number of passengers on public transport was restricted.

World Vision is assisting the government with COVID-19 prevention to help keep kids and communities safe, deploying health professionals to strengthen risk communication and work closely with the Ethiopian Public Health Institution and supporting broadcasting of COVID-19 and child protection messages on a children’s TV channel. We have established a network of local stakeholders to take joint action on COVID-19, like spreading prevention messages, and we are preparing a mobile phone SMS campaign to raise awareness about protecting children against child marriage and child trafficking during this period of heightened vulnerability.

We have trained more than 3,000 faith leaders on prevention messages and partnered with two large church networks to translate messaging into local languages and share the messages with their communities and online, broadcast COVID-19 messaging to the Ethiopian Evangelical TV station’s five million viewers, reaching more than 45,000 people through the Evangelical Churches, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and Muslim faith communities.

We are also assessing the needs of health institutions and health workers as we plan our COVID-19 response for the health sector, and have distributed protective equipment to five health facilities. We have also distributed food to people in quarantine and 20 water tanks that will help more than 12,000 children and 8,000 adults with good hygiene. All of the communities we partner with in Ethiopia are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. 

Indonesia (Ende)

Registered Children Affected in Ende Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Ende Area Programme: 0

Indonesia’s first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on 2 March and thousands of cases have been confirmed since. The government declared an emergency response, appointing provincial task forces, restricting people’s movement between provinces, imposing a travel ban for countries with high case numbers and requiring other travellers to present a health certificate.

World Vision is working to limit the spread of COVID-19 by educating communities about proper hygiene practices, installing handwashing facilities in high-traffic communities, providing soap to vulnerable families, providing personal protective equipment to health facilities in five communities, and training community health workers. We have also been supporting children affected by COVID-19 by providing families who have lost their source of income with access to food and nutritional support and helping farming families to connect with online markets to sell their produce.

We have partnered with the government to prepare educational materials and promote remote learning and successfully advocated for the government to adopt community-based child protection and data reporting guidelines for the COVID-19 response. We are also partnering with a local university to help identify online/remote learning opportunities and develop online classes, especially for children with disabilities. All of the communities we partner with in Indonesia are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays.

WV Indonesia staff are now working from home. Our emergency response teams, who had been working on earthquake and tsunami responses, will now focus on COVID-19 to help keep kids and communities safe. We are working to support the government and our other partners with preventative measures and establishing a system of care for children whose families are confined by COVID-19.

*Indonesia is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Jeruselam, West Bank (South Hebron)

Registered Children Affected in South Hebron Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in South Hebron Area Programme: 0

The Palestinian Authority declared a State of Emergency over areas under their administration on 22 March and the Israeli Government restricted all non-essential movement throughout the rest of the West Bank and Israel in response to COVID-19.

In partnership with the World Health Organisation and UNICEF, World Vision is distributing information materials promoting COVID-19 prevention measures, reaching over 323,000 people.

We are supporting health workers by providing medical equipment, hygiene products and protective equipment to village councils, and providing thermometers, face masks and toys to hospitals and quarantine centres. We are also working with church groups to deliver training for parents on positive discipline techniques to use during the lockdown.

We are now planning how to provide targeted food and livelihood assistance to vulnerable communities. All of the communities we partner with in this region are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. Most WV staff in the region are now working from home, with the exception of some roles essential to the COVID-19 response.

Mongolia (Selenge)

Registered Children Affected Selenge Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected Selenge Area Programme: 0

There are confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Mongolia. The government restricted travellers arriving through international ports and provided on-the-job training for health workers on managing COVID-19.

World Vision is continuing to focus on promoting good hygiene, partnering with the Ministry of Health, UNICEF and World Health Organisation on a three-month hygiene and sanitation campaign and partnering with mobile phone provider Mobicom to improve water and sanitation facilities in 20 schools. We are supporting our producer groups to sew disposable protective items for the National Health Centre and have provided personal protective equipment like masks and coats to National Emergency Management Affairs.

We have also provided more than 7,000 families with food and hygiene kits in partnership with UNICEF, and distributed cash to 1,700 vulnerable families, including more than 5,600 children. We also partnered with the government to launch a television and social media campaign on COVID-19 prevention and child protection, and have produced information sheets for parents on positive discipline, stress management and quality time with children. All of the communities we partner with in Mongolia are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. 

*Mongolia is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Myanmar (Taikkyi)

Registered Children Affected in Taikkyi Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Taikkyi Area Programme: 0

Myanmar has confirmed cases of COVID-19. The government ordered people to stay at home and avoid travel between villages, imposed a curfew from 10 pm to 4 am each day, banned gatherings of more than five people and asked non-government organisations not to conduct activities in communities with infections.

World Vision is now training more than 5,000 community group members on child protection during COVID-19, conducting child protection risk assessments in 35 towns, and advocating for the government to ensure child protection services and helplines for children. We are also training 50 frontline staff and service providers on psychological first aid for children facing stress.

During the crisis, we have also partnered with the government to distribute personal protective equipment and medical supplies like masks, gloves, disinfectant, thermometers and sanitiser to health facilities, and provided internally displaced families with food supplies, cash, water purification tablets, soap, water buckets and COVID-19 information.

We have developed education kits for children and online homeschooling training for caregivers. Several of the communities we partner with in Myanmar are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays.

Nepal (Sindhuli East)

Registered Children Affected in Sindhuli East Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Sindhuli East Area Programme: 0

Nepal, the first COVID-19 was recorded on 23 January. The government closed all non-essential operations, suspended all domestic and international flights and long-distance public transport, and closed its borders with China and India in response. The impact of COVID-19 on the country is high – many people have lost their jobs and sources of income as a result of government restrictions.

World Vision is now preparing for early recovery phase interventions. Throughout our response, we provided health workers with protective equipment and other medical supplies and reached 15 million people through radio broadcasts with prevention and child protection messages on over 300 stations. Another 31,400 people were reached through other digital platforms to raise awareness of COVID-19. We distributed handwashing soap to 5,100 families and food supplies to 2,000 families most affected by COVID-19. We also assisted 32 local governments to set up and operate quarantine centres and developed e-learning tools so that children could continue to learn through the lockdown.

All of the communities we partner with in Nepal are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. WV Nepal staff are now working from home. However, we continue to monitor sponsored children remotely via mobile phones.

Philippines (Antique)

Registered Children Affected in Antique Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Antique Area Programme: 0

Philippines has recorded thousands of cases of COVID-19. The government imposed restrictions to contain the spread of the virus, including school closures.

World Vision has been educating children, families and communities in prevention methods, especially focused on proper hygiene, using information materials, radio and TV, to reach 5.7 million people. We’ve also been strengthening health workers and systems by providing health facilities in vulnerable communities with disinfection kits and other medical supplies, and health workers with personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.

We have been supporting children affected by COVID-19 by helping ensure they have access to educational activities while schools are closed, providing almost 20,000 families and seven hospitals with fresh vegetables, giving cash transfers to families in 207 villages in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, distributing sanitation kits to more than 6,500 families, and ensuring families have access to low-cost insurance to address any health care or medical needs. All of the communities we partner with in in the Philippines are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. 

*Philippines is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Sri Lanka (Lindula)

Registered Children Affected in Lindula Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Lindula Area Programme: 0

Sri Lanka has recorded cases of COVID-19 and some deaths. In response, the government imposed an island-wide curfew, prohibited movement between districts and asking all people to work from home. World Vision is focused on combatting the spread of the virus in Sri Lanka, working with the Government of Sri Lanka to educate communities on COVID-19 prevention. We have provided four mobile toilets and 1,500 water bottles in the quarantine centre in Chilaw.

We have also distributed 650 dry ration packs in Batticaloa and provided masks to a COVID-19 testing lab in Sri Jayawardenapura hospital. We are also partnering with UNICEF to advocate for the government to develop online learning platforms so that children can continue learning and to provide psychosocial support for children. All of the communities we partner with in Sri Lanka are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. WV Sri Lanka staff are now working from home.

Thailand (Bo Kluea)

Registered Children Affected in Bo Kluea Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Bo Kluea Area Programme : 0

Thailand has confirmed thousands of cases of COVID-19. The government closed schools, universities and all business operations except food stores and pharmacies, restricted movement across national and provincial borders, and banned all public gatherings in an effort to contain the spread of the virus.

World Vision is working to keep children safe by educating children, families and communities in how to prevent the virus and protect children’s mental, physical and social wellbeing through social media and an online platform, which will be rolled out nationally through school networks. We are also distributing hygiene kits to vulnerable families and working closely with provincial health authorities to reach migrant workers from Myanmar with information about COVID-19 prevention.

To comply with government restrictions, WV Thailand staff are working from home. All of the communities we partner with, in Thailand are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. We are still monitoring sponsored children through our community leaders and partners, via mobile phones and alternative methods. 

*Thailand is one of 28 countries that World Vision is targeting with an increased multi-million-dollar emergency response that will reach at least 72 million people, half of them children. 

Vietnam (Tien Lu & Son Tra)

Registered Children Affected Son Tra and Tien Lu AP: 0
World Vision Staff Affected Son Tra and Tien Lu AP: 0

Cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Vietnam. The government closed all schools and banned large public gatherings in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. However, small gatherings are permitted and so some child sponsorship activities can continue, while others will be delayed.

World Vision is now focused on planning early recovery activities and will conduct a needs assessment in June. Throughout the crisis, we have shared information on COVID-19 prevention and handwashing and helping children cope with stress in the communities where we work. We have also been working with the government, health workers and police to establish incident reporting mechanisms in quarantine and isolation centres to help protect children and other vulnerable people.

Most WV Vietnam staff are working from home. However, we have worked with our partners to adjust our operations to meet safety guidelines while maximising our programme’s effectiveness.

Zambia (Musosolokwe)

Registered Children Affected in Musosolokwe Area Programme: 0
World Vision Staff Affected in Musosolokwe Area Programme: 0

Zambia recorded its first case of COVID-19 on 18 March. In response, the government closed schools, restricted public gatherings, including church services, and imposed quarantines of people arriving from high-risk areas.

World Vision is partnering with UNICEF to equip health facilities and isolation centres with chlorinators, hygiene supplies, face masks, gloves and safe water, and to strengthen sanitation and hygiene, as well as infection prevention and control measures. We are also assisting 134 health facilities to strengthen water, sanitation and hygiene and infection and control measures, and have donated 40,000 masks and 20,000 gloves. We are training faith leaders on COVID-19 prevention measures so that they can share information with their communities and via community radio programmes, and we have shared messages about COVID-19 and the importance of protecting children during the crisis through social media and a district child justice forum, which reached 2,500 people.  

We are also documenting the voices of community members who are speaking out to end violence against children, especially during COVID-19, and will use these messages to create an online movement advocating for policy changes. All of the communities we partner with in Zambia are experiencing restrictions due to safety measures, which will likely cause some operational delays. We are continuing our work to support vulnerable communities but have adapted our activities to meet the government guidelines, including restricting international and domestic travel. Some activities are being carried out in small groups and others are now taking place virtually.