World Vision Kenya Awarded Prestigious MDG Lifetime Achievement Award

Thursday, May 2, 2013

NAIROBI, Kenya-April 26th, 2013. World Vision was awarded this year's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Trust Fund in Kenya for sustainable programs that directly contribute to the realization of the MDGs.

The Christian humanitarian organization was honoured for its outstanding contribution to poverty alleviation through advancing the attainment of MDG No.1 eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, MDG No. 2 increasing access to universal education, noteworthy contribution to health related MDGs as well as supporting access to clean drinking water to the vulnerable children, families and communities in Kenya.

“This is a great tribute to World Vision’s programs and approach to development and the determination of communities we work among to improve the quality of their lives,” says Pauline Okumu, the Deputy National Director of World Vision Kenya.

During the awards event, the MDG Trust Fund Coordinator, Mr. Omondi revealed that World Vision had not nominated themselves for the MDG Awards. The decision of the judges was based on community feedback countrywide. According to Mr. Omondi, World Vision’s nomination was based on information gathered from rural communities by a market research company identifying World Vision as an organization active in working with communities to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, champion access to education for all children and promote gender empowerment and health.

“In the midst of growing questions as to the effectiveness of international aid and doubts that humanitarian organizations are delivering on their promises to donors, this award recognizes that good aid works – Effective aid helps save lives and transforms communities,” said Girma Begashaw, the WV Kenya National Director. “The award encouraging us to do aid better by working in partnership with communities, addressing root causes of injustice, and measuring aid work by its contribution to the quality of life and the rights of the most vulnerable.”

“As we look toward the future, we reassert our commitment to continue the work we’ve done in Kenya for almost 40 years in serving alongside the poor, seeking justice and advocating to those with the means to join us in this transformational effort,” said Begashaw.

World Vision’s key areas of interventions include Food Security through community managed irrigation systems, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Humanitarian Emergency Response, Education, Health, HIV & AIDS, Economic Development through small-scale enterprises and Public Policy & Advocacy.

All these projects made possible through partnership with the community, World Vision support offices, international and multi-lateral donors and the Government of Kenya.

With less than five years to go to attain the MDGs, a scaling-up of resources and partnerships is essential to accelerate the pace of development. By recognizing the efforts and sacrifices of organizations, the MDGs award encourages greater participation by all players in realizing the goals.

The MDG Awards are the brainchild of the MDGs Trust Fund which acknowledges exemplary performers among government, development partners, private sectors, NGOs and individuals in the country for outstanding input, sustainable strategies, programme impact, financial viability and extent of innovation under each MDG.

Previous winners include Amiran Kenya, Nobel laureate, the late Prof Wangari Maathai for her contribution in environmental conservation and Safaricom, a leading telecommunications company in Kenya for opening up mobile banking countrywide.

For more information, please contact:

World Vision Kenya’s Deputy National Director, Pauline Okumu at Pauline_okumu@wvi.org or +254 738991116 or

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. We serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender.