World Vision International

Outstanding work I have 3 sponsored children through World Vision. My first sponsored child is from Swaziland, I have received multiple letters and pictures from my child, he also sends me drawings and asks about my son and my dog, information he has obtained from letters I have sent him. We maintain written communication and exchange postcards for the major holidays (World Vision provides translated Postcards.) I often send him packages with coloring books, inflatable balls, toy cars etc. Every single time he gets his packages I get a polaroid picture which shows him holding his goodies. So rewarding! In addition to taking care of the sponsored child World Vision also works with his village and educates the villagers. They also hold group birthday parties for all the children in the area (whether sponsored or not) which I liked a lot, no child should feel excluded because of lack of money. I have been so pleased with my sponsorship experience that I have shared it with all my frien... Read more

I have read pros and cons about World Vision and its work. Has anyone actually gone to the location where your child is being sponsored and visited or talked with the sponsored person??

I was a donor for 4 years to a child in Africa with World Vision. This fall I got my child's annual report card and he was failing all his classes. In the past years he had passing grades. I called World Vision to find out if anyone in the organization and tried to find out why he was failing. They informed me that it would take 2 months to contact Africa to get any information. When they called me back, they informed me he had not been in school all year. They said he was unable to attend school due to dangerous cattle thieves in the area. I asked where my money and items I had payed to send him were going. They informed me the money was going to the community. They told me he was now going to another school. I asked them to have a manager call me. I explained the situation to the manager when she called me 2 weeks later. I informed that I wanted to know what was happening with this child. I told her that education is the best way out of poverty. I wanted her to follow up and find ... Read more

I agree with Peter. It's pathetic that a group of people united by a common belief in God only help those in need because it is God's will and the Work of Jesus. World Vision has been involved in a number of scandals recently and I just don't think I trust them enough to rate them well. I have a sponsored child through this organization and the only reason I'm staying with them is because as far as I know, they've claimed him as their property, and I would never be able to find him again through another organization. Sometimes this world sickens me...

World Vission International is doing an excellent role in helping people suffering from disasters of different nature in different parts of the world. I have enormous praise for the services they are providing, without which thousands of fellow-human beings could not get relief from their sufferings. My praise to World Vision International.

World Vision is a great way to make an impact in someone's life. Pictures, letters, and "progress reports" are sent to the child's sponsor. My wife and I are sponsoring a little girl in Sierra Leon and it is very rewarding to know that we have a part in taking care of the precious little child of God.

I recently met an executive or other high-level employee of World Vision, and I was not impressed by the organization's way of spending money. The woman loved high-class items wherever she went, whether it be fancy hotel rooms, fancy restaurants and stuff like that. She did not seem devoted at all to helping the poor, she refused to even go to Africa! She scoffed at donors who wouldn't take her to high-class restaurants. If this woman is representative of the whole organization, I will never give a dime to World Vision. She's pretty high up there, she apparently handled millions from individual donors. I'm insulted to believe that my money might be going to pay for an expensive lunch, and not for a month's worth of food in Niger. You're better off FedExing canned Chunky soup than giving money to charities...

Organization does good work, but it's sad that taking action has to be justified by one's love of Christ. Why can't humanitarian relief work be done simply because helping the needy is the right thing to do. Would they still do it if they didn't have their bibles?

I like the fact that our money goes a lot further in the nations World Vision sends it to than it does here. We don't have to have a lot to help a lot. I also love the idea of actually putting action behind our Christianity. Instead of just talking about it, we can demonstrate what the love of Christ is all about in a practical way.

I've sponsored a little girl in a Brazilian favela for the past 2-3 years. It doesn't cost much but it does bring a tremendously rewarding feeling and food on the table for her. WorldVision sends photos and consucts follow-ups to really give you the certainty that your funds are wisely appropriated.