For the next few months, the only news that mattered in Indonesia, and probably around the world, was the mega Aceh Earthquake and Tsunami disaster, which that had claimed the lives of 230,000 people across multiple countries, including 100,000 of them in Aceh. It was a global grief moment.

World Vision has been a steadfast presence in East Asia since 1950, operating in Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Myanmar, North Korea, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Our multisector programmes are tailored to the needs and priorities of local communities. With the support of over 2,200 staff, more than 99% of whom are local, we deliver impactful and sustainable solutions.

More than 8 million vulnerable children and families across East Asia were positively impacted by our programmes in 2022. Additionally, through our engagement with governments and advocacy networks, we contributed to 142 policy changes, creating a more positive enabling environment for 44 million vulnerable children to access their rights, harness opportunities, and achieve their potential. In response to the growing and complex challenges within East Asia, we are deepening our commitment to serve the most vulnerable girls and boys through a greater focus on building community resilience to climate change, addressing the impacts of migration and displacement on children, and working with partners to support policy and systems-level change.

Global Livelihoods Sector Annual Report 2023

Terry Ferrari shares the critical takeaways from the Southeast Asia School Meals Coalition Summit 

World Vision East Asia’s first child-led research on climate action and disaster mitigation reveals that underpinned by the low to moderate levels of disaster preparedness in vulnerable communities, there is a pressing need to strengthen climate education (formal and informal) and disaster mitigation through school programmes and social media channels.

This report, “Advocates for Change: Asia Pacific Children and Youth’s Voices & Perspectives on Climate Action and Disaster Risk Reduction”, is the result of the collaboration between partners from different development organizations. This project commenced in May 2024 and culminated in the launch of the report in October 2024 by the Asia Pacific Coalition for School Safety (APCSS).

The East Asia region is home to an estimated 155.2 million people living in extreme poverty. The challenges faced by families in meeting their basic needs and securing their livelihoods are exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, conflict, and rising costs of living.