KNA by Sharon Atieno..
World Vision Kenya (WVK) has transformed over 2 million lives and is still committed to expanding efforts through its 2021-2025 Strategy, focusing on livelihoods and resilience, health and nutrition, education, child protection with the aim of building sustainable development and resilience within communities in Kenya.
The World Vision Program began with immediate relief efforts during a devastating drought, serving around 10,000 people through food distribution, water provision, basic healthcare, and child sponsorship programs that supported over 5,000 children and introduced agricultural training programs to improve food security.
Since 2010 WVK has intensified its advocacy efforts, aligning its strategies with Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Further, its programs, such as the Kenya Big Dream, have reached over 1.4 million people, achieving a 50 percent reduction in FGM cases and a 30 percent increase in school retention rates for girls and is currently operating in 37 out of 47 counties serving over 2 million direct beneficiaries annually.
Speaking during the commemoration of WVK’s 50th anniversary in Nairobi, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Labour and Social Protection Dr. Alfred Mutua noted that World Vision is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in Kenya, making people’s journey possible through deep partnerships with the Government.
Dr. Mutua said that both Government and World Vision, have tackled many challenges from droughts to disasters, providing vital support for Kenyans in need and building resilience for the future.
“Your presence in the 35 counties has addressed the needs of children and empowered them to thrive,” he added, saying that WVK in collaboration with the Government has brought their stories to different milestones in the past five decades.
The CS cited World Vision’s Area Development Program has aligned with the Government’s priorities, by advancing the shared vision of sustainable development as outlined in Kenya’s Vision 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals.
Further, Dr. Mutua highlighted that the celebration of World Vision marks various achievements including the provision of educational support to over a million children, ensuring access to clean water to over 2 million people, and protecting the rights of children through the Kenyan initiative which has reached 1.4 million individuals through community led initiatives to as well as strengthening government institutions and policies through training.
“World Vision has trained 5,000 County Government staff, an impressive initiative that aims to empower the communities,” disclosed the CS, adding that the achievements reflect the power of partnership and a shared vision that ensure the future of the people is great.
He re-affirmed that the collaboration has helped in various child protection initiatives, including ending violence against children, child trafficking, and child labour.
“In our times, we have partnerships, child participation, community initiatives, strengthening of coordination structures, parenting and caregiver support, advocacy, and strengthening of legal frameworks,” he highlighted, stressing that the strength of World Vision lies in individuals through collaboration for the success of others which makes the difference.
In addition, the CS encouraged the public to participate and have personal programs that change lives in the community, protect children as individual labourers and further cautioned the community to end child mutilation as a culture.
Dr. Mutua acknowledged the World Vision for its 50 years’ transformative work in Kenya expressed his Ministry’s confidence in stronger future partnerships and support in safeguarding the well-being of children of the nation and WVK’s unwavering commitment to Kenya’s development agenda.
At the same time, World Vision Kenya Board Chair Dr. David Githanga, said that WVK’s growth is not only an expansion of numbers, but also a deepening impact and an evolving wisdom, citing the example of the first water projects which brought hope to parched lands, with the 50 strategic boreholes becoming lifelines for the communities.
“Our current strategy for 2021-2025 reflects this confidence. We’re not just responding to immediate needs, we’re building systems and capabilities that will serve communities for generations. But we will do so with renewed vigor and innovation, leveraging technology, strengthening partnerships, and adapting to emerging challenges,” he asserted.
In her remarks, World Vision East Africa Regional Leader Lilian Dodzo termed the anniversary as not only a commemoration of time, but also a celebration of hope, resilience and transformation of the lives of children.
“We are in respect of those lives that have been touched in the communities, the representative communities that have been uplifted through all our collective efforts yearly,” she pointed out, adding that this is a step forward in fulfilling the promise to children including a childhood free from violence and abuse, childhood access to quality education, good health and nutrition and a childhood that lives in empowered families to ensuring that children reach their full potential.
Dodzo acknowledged the Board and organizational members for volunteering to provide the oversight and the insights that ensure promises to the most vulnerable children are fulfilled In East Africa.
“Our programs include child sponsorship, child protection, disaster management, economic development, education, food security and resilience, health and nutrition, water sanitation and hygiene for children in order for them to achieve their dreams,” she reiterated.
Dodzo also announced that in the past one year, World Vision, through their work, has reached over 21 million people and children in East Africa with its budget fund of 886 million US Dollars for all the programs and interventions.
“Our focus will remain on innovation, resilience, sustainability and locally led solutions. World Vision will continue to advocate for the children’s rights, listen to them, amplify their voices while also ensuring that they enjoy life in all its fullness through access to education and health care,” she vowed.
Additionally, Dodzo revealed that World Vision has committed a budget of 1.7 billion US Dollars to achieve the Global Enough campaign that aims to end child hunger and malnutrition, to improve nutrition to over 125 million children globally and across 67 countries and across Africa in the next three years.
“As we reflect and celebrate the past, let us also look to the future and renew our commitment to the vision and mission of World Vision and together, we can build a brighter and equitable future for all in Kenya, across the East Africa region and beyond,” she urged.
