Asia-Pacific is the most climate-exposed and disaster-prone region in the world. As many as 65% of children in East Asia are exposed to multiple shocks which are becoming increasingly frequent, especially flooding, drought, saltwater inundation, and climate-related diseases. Children and families living in poverty are particularly vulnerable, bearing the brunt of these recurrent crises and their longterm consequences.

Margarettha Siregar shares six things the humanitarian industry should learn from the 2004 tsunami disaster

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.

Investing over USD192 million annually, World Vision has reached 28.7 million people in recent years to access cleaner water, 20.9 million to access improved sanitation, and 34.7 million to adopt safer hygiene practices.

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.