World's largest refugee camp shelters families fleeing famine in conflict-torn Somalia

By Kari Costanza and Kenneth Kibet. Edited by Elisa Casey, World Vision U.S.

Mariam sits among other weary famine survivors at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, surrounded by her three sons.

Her littlest child coughs in her lap. Flies are everywhere. They land on her sleeping child.

"It took nine days to get here," she says. "We came because of the hunger and the drought."

The family came from Baidhabo in Somalia. They have been in the Dadaab refugee camp for two months.

400,000 refugees and growing

Dadaab recently set a new record after registering its 400,000th refugee. And people are still coming -- as many as 1,500 per day. There is now a backlog to register new refugees.

Many wait anxiously for months to be registered. It is critical to their survival. Once they are registered, they are given food rations.

'They are here because of famine'

Ninety-two percent of the refugees in Dadaab are Somalis. The rest of the population comes from Ethiopia, Sudan, Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and Burundi.

The prolonged drought is behind the large exodus, says Aaron from the Department of Refugee Affairs.

"The reason they are leaving Somalia is food," he says. "Seventy percent of the people coming say they are here because of famine -- not war."

Most of the refugees arrive with nothing. "There are a lot of people that need help. Real help," Aaron laments.

Mariam's story

After two months in Dadaab, Mariam and her family are still waiting to be registered as refugees in Kenya.

"We exhausted everything there [in Somalia]," she says. "There was no more to eat. The children asked for milk and for water." But, she had nothing to give them.

"We're waiting for our registration card. We will get the rations and treat the children. They are sick," Mariam explains.

Mariam and her family may be here for a very long time.

'There was no food in sight'

Mariam sits and waits with another mother and widow, Awliya. The two women traveled from Baidhabo together. Awliya's journey to Kenya began the day her family ran out of food. Like Mariam, she has three sons.

"There was no food in sight," she says. "The drought didn't stop. We decided to leave."

Awliya's son, Mohamud, 15, is hopeful about his future in Kenya.

"In Kenya, my life will change. I hope I will get an education here in Kenya," he says. "I have never been to a school. I want to be educated like other people."

'I am hungry -- but there is peace'

Though relieved to have made it to Kenya, the family remembers their dangerous and difficult journey from Somalia.

"The first day into the journey, bandits stopped our vehicles, robbed us, and beat the men," says Awliya.

Mohamud continues, "They took everything we had. I was afraid. They were shooting their guns into the air."

He adds quietly that several women were raped.

"I am happy to be here. We will find peace here. In Somalia, there was no peace. I am hungry -- but there is peace," expresses Mohamud.

Ways you can help

Pray that Mariam and Awliya will soon receive food rations and medical attention. Pray for the 400,000 people already in Dadaab and for those arriving daily, that they would soon feel relief.

Make a one-time gift to World Vision's Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will help provide emergency food and care to children and families suffering from hunger and malnutrition, as the worst drought in 60 years rages on.

Give monthly to provide support to children affected by hunger. Your monthly contribution will help us deliver assistance like food aid, agricultural training, and more.

Sponsor a child in East Africa. Your love and support of a boy or girl in need will help provide essentials like nutritious food.

An offer too good to refuse leads to a nightmare

By Cecil Laguardia and Peter Warski, World Vision communications. Photos by Vanhlee Lattana.

In 2009, Mai* of southern Laos was approached by a work recruiter who offered her a job as a housemaid in Bangkok, Thailand's capital city.

At face value, it seemed like a great opportunity. The recruiter told Mai that she'd be paid about $100 U.S. for the position -- money she could save up while spending time in a big, exciting city.

"All I wanted was to earn income, help my family, and be able to save money for my education," says Mai. So her family helped her raise funds for the recruitment fee, and she crossed the border into Thailand.

Walking into a trap

But it didn't take long for Mai to realize that the so-called "job" wasn't at all what she was led to believe.

Along with two other Laotian girls, she was required to perform domestic chores at the residence of a Thai family -- such as cleaning and mopping floors and feeding the family dogs. She was never paid a cent of the compensation she was promised.

"I cried every day for one year," Mai recalls. "I was homesick and scared."

A break didn't come until one day when the lady living at the residence forgot to close the door on her way out -- leaving an opportunity for Mai and the two other girls to escape.

A taxi driver took them to a police station. Soon thereafter, the apartment where they were trapped was raided.

'We were treated like prisoners'

The terror is over, but the memories and lessons of it are not.

"My biggest lesson is that it is never safe for young girls to venture in a faraway place," says Mai. "We were treated like prisoners and were not allowed to go anywhere. We worked all day. We were even beaten at times if we committed mistakes."

Reflecting on what good could possibly come from such a tragic experience, she adds, "It taught me how dangerous it is to go to another country, especially if you do not know anything. I am sharing my story to others for them to be forewarned."

A time of recovery

With the help of a regional World Vision project aimed at fighting child trafficking, Mai was eventually reunited with her family in Laos. Now, she's learning how to make bags and acquiring other basic skills at a weaving shop that is providing a second chance for survivors of exploitation like her.

"I want to learn new skills so I can move on," she says resolutely. "I love making bags and would love to learn more."

Sadly, Mai's story is reflective of a much bigger global crisis -- one in which some 1.2 million children are trafficked each year for forced labor. The practice occurs in every country in the world, including the United States, and represents a modern-day slave trade that World Vision is committed to ending.

*Name has been changed to protect the girl's identity and safety.

Learn more

Learn more about child trafficking and exploitation and what you can do to help stop this tragic practice.

Four ways you can help

Please pray for children around the world like Mai who have been affected by trafficking and exploitation. Pray for their rescue and recovery, and pray for a transformation of those who commit this crime.

Call your senators to voice your support for the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA). As the cornerstone of U.S. policies to fight human trafficking, this bill must be reauthorized every few years. It is set to expire on September 30, 2011.

Make a one-time gift to help provide hope for girls in crisis like Mai. Your donation will help World Vision provide protection, counseling, education, vocational training, and more to girls and women who were formally subjected to abuse or exploitation.

Give monthly to provide support to children affected by exploitation. Your monthly gift will help provide assistance like safe shelter, nutritious food, medical care, trauma recovery counseling, and more to children who have suffered from trafficking and abuse.

Transforming schools, empowering students

By Heidi Isaza. Edited by Elisa Casey, World Vision U.S.

St. Mary's School is unassuming, even drab, in appearance -- just another two-story brick building, surrounded by a chain-link fence and a concrete play yard in East Los Angeles.

Everything changes, however, the minute you step inside.

Bright hallways -- lined with large bulletin boards covered with colorful art projects -- greet students, faculty, parents, and visitors alike, giving evidence of the life, energy, excitement, and learning happening here.

"Most everything in this school is from World Vision," says Sister Anna of St. Mary's School.

"Everything. We have tables, we have shelves, we have school supplies, that World Vision gave," she shares, unable to contain her emotion.

Now, students at this school have the resources they need to receive a quality education -- and the chance at a brighter future.

Resources equal real opportunities

Two years ago, Sister Anna heard about World Vision's warehouse, the teacher resource center, and the backpack program. Today, St. Mary's school is a different place.

"When you first walk in, you see the big difference," says Annette, a parent of a St. Mary's student.

Sister Anna affirms this. "When all of these changes were made, they [the students] came and told us, 'We have a new school.' They feel it's a new school because they have new things in their classroom."

Supplies to succeed

Not only do students now have a better environment in which to learn, they also have the supplies they need to be successful in their education.

Annette shares, "The other day, Raven came home and said, 'I have a project, but it's okay, I have everything. My teacher gave us everything, so we don't have to buy anything.'"

Thanks to the teacher resource center, parents like Annette can enjoy working on the projects with their kids instead of worrying about how they will pay for the additional supplies.

Pencils and paper equal potential

"It feels good that poverty or lack of income is not a reason for [the kids] not to succeed," says Gabriela, a teacher at St. Mary's.

The supplies that she and other teachers are able to provide students with -- combined with the creating of an engaging learning environment -- are making a difference.

"Kids just feel a lot more confident," she says.

Schools shaping tomorrow's society

For Sister Anna, school is about more than test scores and memorization. It's about cultivating the seed for society's future.

"I always believe that when the kids are happy, they learn better, and also when the kids learn a lot, they are better prepared for the future and are better members of society," says Sister Anna.

Today, the students of St. Mary's School are happy. They have big dreams, and now, they have the tools they need to succeed in school.

"At the end of the year, we see the difference," says Sister Anna. "That's why I am very, very grateful."

Two ways you can help

With the economy continuing to flounder, many children across the United States go to school without the supplies they need to succeed. Please pray for parents who struggle to provide their children with essential educational resources during these difficult times.

Make a one-time gift that multiplies to become $150 worth of school supplies for U.S. children. Your donation will help us ship and distribute school supplies donated by generous corporate partners, like books, art supplies, videos, educational games, sports equipment, and more.

Famine in Somalia reaches historic level

Updated September 22, 2011

The famine declared in south-central Somalia is feared to be worse than the historic famine of the 1980s that afflicted a wide region of the Horn of Africa, which includes Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

Across the country, nearly half the Somali population -- 3.7 million people -- is living in crisis. An estimated 2.8 million of those are in the south-central regions of Southern Bakool and Lower Shabelle.

Many Somalis are fleeing across the border to Kenya to receive services in overcrowded refugee camps or to stay with family, further stressing already limited resources.

World Vision responds

World Vision is working in East Africa, including Kenya and Ethiopia, to respond to drought affecting the entire Horn of Africa region. Across the region, more than 10 million people are in dire need.

While we are not able to work as fully as is needed to help those affected by the famine in Somalia, we have evaluated security risks and are able to cautiously work through partner organizations in the Dolo, Puntland, and Somaliland districts. Through these partnerships, World Vision is able to help some of the people in desperate need with things like:

-Safe drinking water
-Food distributions
-Health clinics
-Child Friendly spaces
-Distributing basic necessities

World Vision is also seeking safe access to south-central Somalia, where ongoing conflict has made it extremely difficult for aid organizations to operate.

For families fleeing conflict and drought in Somalia, World Vision is providing nutrition supplements to malnourished children, improving healthcare and sanitation, increasing the capacity of earth dams in anticipation of rains, and beginning livelihood activities to enhance communities' economic conditions.

Advocating for increased relief funding

In the United States, World Vision is advocating for increased funding for relief efforts in East Africa. World Vision's senior vice president for international programs, Kent Hill, recently testified before Congress (PDF) to make the case for increased resources, saying that  "saving the lives of dying children and families in the Horn of Africa is a moral issue we are also facing now that must be on the front burner."

Hill noted that as many as 750,000 Somalis could die in the coming months unless they receive help, and that 58 percent of the children in Somalia's Bay region are suffering from acute malnutrition. "It is sobering to think how many more people, especially children, will die if we and the world do not respond energetically and quickly," said Hill.

Seeking safe access to south-central Somalia

World Vision has worked in Somalia since 1992, but was forced to leave the south-central areas of the country in 2010 when the al-Shabaab group demanded that World Vision and several other organizations leave. As part of a consortium of aid organizations, World Vision is seeking safe access back to the area.

World Vision has added its name to a joint statement (PDF) with 19 other international relief organizations, calling for for all-inclusive dialogue to save lives in Somalia.  The statement notes that "current restrictions on the delivery of humanitarian assistance are preventing the rapid scale up of aid that is so desperately needed in Somalia," and calls for the engagement of the parties in conflict, as well as international governments and other actors.

'We have not seen the worst yet'

Inconsistent rains over the past year have resulted in severe drought for both pastoralists and urban communities. In Puntland, a region in northern Somalia, many families are suffering from the seventh consecutive failed rainy season.

"This drought is likely to persist until 2012," says Nicholas Wasunna, World Vision's emergency advisor based in Kenya. "We have not seen the worst yet."

What you can do

Pray for the children and families affected by this severe drought and the resulting famine. Pray that aid organizations like World Vision would gain access to those who need help the most.

Make a one-time gift to our Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will multiply five times to help provide emergency food, healthcare, and other critical assistance to this suffering part of the world.

Speak out. Urge our legislators to prioritize the needs of those suffering from hunger.

As Kenya's drought continues, children and mothers remain at risk

September 8, 2011

Story by Lucy Murunga, World Vision Kenya. Edited by Shawna Templeton, World Vision U.S.

Drought conditions are likely to persist into October in Kenya's pastoral and southeastern lowlands, a report warns.

The Long Rains Food Security Assessment conducted by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group reports that pastoralists in the north, northeast, east, and south regions are currently under severe food stress after two consecutive failed seasons of rain.

More livestock lost, food prices rise

The assessment cites a sharp decline in livestock production and increasing loss of livestock. As a result, there is little or no milk available, and food insecurity continues to deepen.

Conflict over scarce resources has also been cited as a factor that is deepening food insecurity. Heightened prices for food and non-food items are set to worsen the already precarious food situation.

Some 3.75 million Kenyans face food insecurity, up from 3.2 million in August. An additional 478,000 refugees are also in dire need of emergency aid.

Young children, pregnant women, and nursing mothers at risk

Close to half a million children under 5, and pregnant and nursing mothers are currently affected by acute malnutrition. These levels are expected to increase if current trends are not immediately addressed, warns the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

"The trend has been that the malnutrition rates have been on the rise especially in the drought's worst-hit districts..." explains Daniel Muhinja, a World Vision nutrition program officer.

Some good news: Rain expected later in the year

Preliminary forecasts predict that the country can expect normal rains in some regions and above normal or slightly enhanced rain in others, beginning later in October. Caroline Maua, World Vision's national food security coordinator in Kenya, notes the preparations being made to capitalize on the anticipated rainfall.

World Vision has already trained farmers in Eastern Kenya on construction of rainwater harvesting structures like terraces and small reservoirs that trap rainwater.

In collaboration with the government and other partners, World Vision is also promoting the use of drought tolerant crops like sorghum, cowpeas, green grams, pigeon peas, millet, and cassava. "These crops are early-maturing and nutritious," notes Maua.

However, rain will not lead to immediate relief. "Even though the rainfall will be normal, the people in the south eastern lowlands are not expected to have food until January or February 2012, when harvests from the short rains are expected," Maua explains.

World Vision's response

The World Food Program is providing food aid to about 2.8 million people. World Vision is complementing these relief efforts by responding to the urgent and immediate needs of 838,137 people with food, water, and supplemental nutrition.

An additional 160,000 refugees in the Daadab refugee camps are being assisted with non-food items like hygiene and sanitation kits, blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen utensils, and buckets. Some 5,000 tents will benefit 30,000 Somali refugees, 20,000 of who are children.

Through a supplementary feeding program, World Vision nutrition reaches a total of 178,080 children who are under 5. Nearly 52,000 pregnant and nursing mothers are also receiving assistance.

More relief needed

According Muhinja, the initial target for the feeding program was all children under 5. However, due to limited resources, the program can only cater to children under 3.

"More funding is needed to reach many children especially those between 3 and 5 years old," explains Muhinja.

Security concerns have also been raised especially in the Turkana region. Additionally, water shortage in schools -- where feeding programs rely on clean drinking water to prepare food -- remains a major concern. The schools must be equipped to accommodate additional students in areas where families are migrating.

How you can help

Pray for those affected by drought in Kenya, especially children and pregnant and nursing mothers. Pray that the expect rain would bring relief. Pray that violence would not escalate as a result of the drought.

Make a one-time gift to our Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will multiply five times to help provide emergency food, healthcare, and other critical assistance to this suffering part of the world.

Speak out. Urge our legislators to prioritize the needs of those suffering from hunger.

Kenyan parents afraid to send children to school due to violent attacks

August 31, 2011

As children head back to class, many Kenyan parents in the country's North Rift Valley are hesitant to send their children to school due to violent attacks on schools.

Ongoing community conflict is causing serious safety issues for students and threatening their health, as schools are often the only place to count on a nutritious meal during the current drought crisis.

Drought ignites conflict

Cyclical drought is a major reason behind this conflict, as communities clash over increasingly scarce pastureland and water sources. Cattle raids are rampant, and when livestock is stolen, there is no longer milk to feed children.

Families caught in the crossfire often flee to safer areas. This displacement can lead to a lack of educational opportunities for children, and consequently malnutrition, when they miss out on school feeding programs.

Schools threatened

"Strengthened efforts are needed to ensure schools are safe places," says Rose Tum, World Vision's peacebuilding coordinator in the North Rift region. "Some teachers have resorted to carrying firearms into classrooms for protection. Several schools have even dug defensive trenches so they can protect children from attacks."

World Vision recently surveyed parents in the North Rift communities where food shortages are a severe problem. Sixty-five percent of parents said they send their children to school to ensure they receive food, but many also expressed fear that their children may become targets.

Conflict, education, and child well-being connected

There are complex connections between conflict, education, and the well-being of children in Kenya. Fear of violence is just one factor that impacts school attendance, but grinding poverty also plays a major role. Girls are often married at a young age, and their education is then abandoned.

"Poorer families often can't afford to send their children to school due to the cost of uniforms or tuition fees, and so those who need a meal the most may not get one," says Tum.

During a crisis like the ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa, education is critical to long-term, sustainable development work in places like Kenya where World Vision is supporting communities through the construction of classrooms, professional development for teachers, and awareness programs to promote education and peacebuilding.

World Vision's response

World Vision started working in Kenya in 1974, and is currently responding to the drought emergency throughout the Horn of Africa with food aid, specialized health and nutrition programs, shelter, clean water, and sanitation services. The emergency response is operating in tandem with long-term development activities that include agricultural support for small farmers and veterinary care for livestock.

Three ways you can help

Pray for children and families in Kenya's North Rift Valley who are vulnerable to both violent conflict and hunger. Pray that children would be able to go to school safely and would receive the nourishment they need to thrive.

Make a one-time gift to our Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will multiply five times to help provide emergency food, healthcare, and other critical assistance to this suffering part of the world.

Speak out. Urge our legislators to prioritize the needs of those suffering from hunger.

World Vision brings aid following Hurricane Irene

Updated September 2, 2011

Story by James Addis, World Vision U.S. Photo by REUTERS/Lucas Jackson, courtesy of alertnet.org.

World Vision has begun distribution of emergency supplies to support churches and local charities helping families struggling to recover in the wake of Hurricane Irene.

Distributions in six states

The first distributions took place in Washingtonville, N.Y., and East Haven, Conn., and included the supply of clean-up kits, hygiene kits, backpacks filled with school supplies, and rubber boots.

The clean-up kits consist of buckets, mops, brooms, brushes, and bleach, to help families clean up flood-damaged homes.

Further distributions in upstate New York will include Prattsville and Windham -- among the worst-affected areas in the entire state.

Similar operations are planned or are ongoing in North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Concentrating on low-income neighborhoods

World Vision field director Corwin Macklin says operations in Virginia will likely concentrate on low-income neighborhoods in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach metropolitan area in partnership with local charity, Hope Charitable Services.

In New Jersey, World Vision will supply water and clothes, in addition to hygiene and clean-up kits, to churches operating temporary shelters in Bergen and Somerset counties.

Further supplies are being shipped from World Vision's 56,000-square-foot domestic disaster response hub in Dallas, Texas, to World Vision warehouses in New York and Washington, D.C., to support the relief response.

'We still have a long way to go'

Meanwhile, World Vision continues to support recovery operations in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and Joplin, Mo., following scores of tornadoes and violent storms that swept across the South and Midwest last spring.

World Vision domestic emergency response director Phyllis Freeman says it's been a terrible year for natural disasters in the United States.

"It's the worst in my 14 years of dealing with disaster response. And the bad weather season does not finish until the end of November, so we still have a long way to go," she says.   

Two ways you can help

Pray for those who are recovering from the devastating effects of the storm.

Make a one-time donation to our U.S. Disaster Response Fund. Your gift will help us respond quickly and effectively to life-threatening emergencies right here in the United States.

Literacy, life skills bring hope to Laotian mother

September 8, 2011

Story and photo by Cecil Laguardia, World Vision Laos. Edited by Shawna Templeton, World Vision U.S.

International Literacy Day, September 8, focuses attention on worldwide literacy needs. According to the International Literacy Association, more than 780 million of the world's adults -- nearly two-thirds of whom are women -- do not know how to read or write.

World Vision is conducting adult literacy and education programs in Laos, where only 35 percent of the villages offer full primary education.

Khoun Kheo attended the literacy class conducted by World Vision. She says that it is not only helping her learn, but also improves her family life.

"I still want to learn," says 20-year-old mother Khoun Kheo. "My dream is to become a volunteer teacher myself so I can help teach more people in our village."

Khoun finished the second grade, but did not pursue education beyond that because her parents were too poor to send her to school. But now she is one of 21 adults who participated in a non-formal education program launched by World Vision in her village in Laos.

Rates of literacy, education, very low in villages

In Houyhang, Khoun's village, most villagers have not gone to school. This is, unfortunately, quite common in Laos. Of those who begin school, many cannot continue because they cannot afford it. The literacy rate of 15-year-olds in Laos hovers at about 70 percent.

Reading, writing, and life skills

Aside from reading, writing, and numbers, the participants are taught about life skills, nutrition and family care, health and sanitation, livelihood, and agriculture.

Khoun finds these topics very useful. "I do not just learn for myself but I can also use it for my family and household," she says.

Finding time to learn is challenging

Volunteer teacher Bouniaw Simankone, 42, says that the busy planting and harvesting seasons present a scheduling challenge. The majority of the population is dependent on farming.

"People have to go to the farms and earn as much as they can," Bounjaw explains. "This poses a big problem in our schedules as work sometimes has to stretch until nighttime."

But the students are committed to their education. Class is three hours a day, usually in the evening, but they often they go beyond three hours if the lesson interests them.

Improving teaching methods

In the same village, 18 teachers are undergoing training to improve their teaching methods. Supported by World Vision, the training is held annually. The teachers, who teach primary school in five villages each, are expected to share these new methods with other teachers.

In the nearby Viengkham district, World Vision program manager Deng Xiong said they are also working on a literacy project that aims for everyone to be able to read and write. An adult literacy class is being conducted in 12 villages for 336 students.

'This is helping mothers'

Bouniaw and Khoun both believe that the adult literacy classes are helping improve the families' condition in the community. Many people want to join after hearing about the classes. They may expand the project in the next months to accommodate those who are interested.

"This is helping mothers like me a lot," says Khoun.  "I have something different to do as I learn about health, food, and nutrition...it is giving me new hope for the future."

Two ways you can help

Pray for mothers like Khoun who are doing their best to educate themselves so that they can better care for their families. Pray that literacy rates around the world would improve.

Make a one-time gift to help provide education for a child. Your gift can help pay school fees or provide essentials like school uniforms, textbooks, backpacks, and school supplies -- helping ensure that one child in poverty can receive what he or she needs to get an education.

Young man endures nine years of forced labor on a fishing boat

September 1, 2011

Story by Nila Douanesouvanh and Cat-Dan Lai-Smith. Photo by Thongxay Phavixay.

As a teenager in Thailand, Bounmy worked on a fishing boat for nine years with no pay. He and other boys were forced to work 20-hour workshifts. If they did not complete their work, they were beaten.

The horrors of slavery and prison ships often resonate from history lessons or stories of war. In fact, more Americans died as prisoners of war on British prison ships during the American War of Independence than the combination of those who died in battle. 

What many people do not realize is that countless young people and children are still being imprisoned as victims of trafficking and forced labor.

A modern-day slave

Bounmy (not his real name), now 26, was a modern-day slave who survived nine harrowing years on a fishing boat off the coast of Thailand. Eating nothing other than fish for the duration of his ordeal, he was forced to work without pay around the clock, with only three to four hours of sleep a day.

The second-oldest son of nine children, Bounmy dropped out from school in fourth grade to help his parents look for food and to work in the rice fields. Once he turned 15, Bounmy and three other boys from his village left home in Laos' Savannaket province to find work so they could send money back to their families.

"It was my first trip away from my village, and I was very nervous," Bounmy says. According to a World Vision report on human trafficking from Laos, approximately 80 percent of migrants cross the borders in search of better economic opportunities.

At sea for nine years

After four months of working with little or no pay in Bangkok, Thailand, Bounmy and another friend were told about the opportunity to work on a fishing boat.

"My friend said it was good pay. Before I went out on the boat, the employer told me I would get full payment after I came back with the boat," Bounmy says with sadness in his eyes.

Little did he know at the time that he would be forced to work without pay and not return to the Thai coast for nine years.

"If there was an emergency, they just called support from somewhere and docked the boat on [the] Malaysian coast," Bounmy explains. "When I got the opportunity, I always told them that I missed my family and would like to return to Laos."

Meanwhile, Bounmy's family was left to imagine the worst. "I always went and asked other people in the village if my son had come back from Thailand. But no one had heard anything about him," says Nouseo, 49, Bounmy's mother.  According to his father, Thongdy, 54, his family thought that he was dead because no one had seen him or knew where he was.

Some 44 percent of parents whose children had migrated to Thailand admitted that they don't know where their children were. Of young Lao people who returned home, 50 percent said their migration experience was terrible, 40 percent had been denied freedom of movement, and 13 percent had been sexually abused.

Arrested, jailed, then finally freed

In February 2010, the boat's engine broke and the boat was finally brought back to Thailand for repairs. Unfortunately, Bounmy was then arrested by the Thai police when the boat arrived back on the Thai coast.

"They told me that I did not have any working documents or a passport," Bounmy says.

He was then detained in a Bangkok jail for nearly three months. Together with World Vision's Human Anti-Trafficking Project, the Laotian government rescued him and helped him to return safely to his home.

U.S. legislation to fight worldwide trafficking

Unlike the thousands of patriots who died on British prison ships, the United States can still rescue innocent young people, like Bounmy, who are being held captive on vessels today.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 is the cornerstone of U.S. policies against modern-day slavery. This act has provided comprehensive federal laws that support local and international anti-trafficking projects like the one that ultimately rescued Bounmy.

However, the TVPA must be renewed every few years, and the current version expires on September 30, 2011. Congress must introduce bipartisan legislation immediately so that there will be no gap in the fight to stop young people and children like Bounmy from being exploited and forced to work in traumatic conditions against their will.

'I do not want anyone to face the same misery that I did'

Now, every week, Bounmy retells his story publicly. "I do not want anyone to face the same misery that I did," he says. "I took a big risk by wanting to earn money in another country. I learned we can work in our own country with less pay, but be happy and safe."

Three ways you can help

Pray for children around the world who are being harmed by child labor practices. Pray for people trying to help these children and for a transformation of those who are forcing children into these roles. Pray that Congress would renew the Trafficking Victims Protection Act.

Call your members of Congress to voice your support for the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act.

Give monthly to support children affected by trafficking and exploitation. Your monthly gift will help provide assistance like safe shelter, food, education, trauma recovery counseling, and more.

#FamineNoMore: Online campaign draws attention to drought in the Horn of Africa

August 29, 2011

Buzz is spreading across the social media sphere -- a buzz calling for help to end the drought and hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa.

Get the word out

World Vision and its friends and supporters have launched a social media campaign across the United States and in more than a dozen other countries to increase awareness and raise more funds for the devastating drought in East Africa.

Famine No More supporters are invited do several things, such as:

-- Skip a meal and donate $10 via text messaging (text FAMINE to 20222)

-- Display a Facebook profile badge or Twitter badge

-- Share infographics and aid worker videos

-- Pass on their own thoughts using the Twitter hashtag #FamineNoMore and campaign website FamineNoMore.org

-- Post banners to their blogs

Keep the conversation alive

"As we struggle to respond to the worst drought in 60 years, the influence and reach of our Facebook fans, Twitter followers, and blogger friends is greater and more critical than ever before," explains American aid worker Perry Mansfield, who is currently serving as World Vision's drought response director in Nairobi.

Mansfield says that it's crucial that we keep the conversation alive, as famine conditions are spreading in Somalia and the regional hunger crisis shows no immediate signs of easing.

"We hope to mobilize thousands more people to drive concern and action for the 12 million children and adults stalked by hunger and malnutrition in the Horn of Africa."

Social media's global reach

In the United States alone, we're mobilizing our 634,000 Facebook fans and 23,000 Twitter followers, reaching out to donors, youth activists, church supporters, advocacy networks, and child sponsors to join the online campaign.

Internationally, supporter networks in Canada, Mexico, the UK, Brazil, Spain, Romania, Ireland, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond have joined in the campaign to stand in solidarity and prayer with the children and families in the Horn of Africa.

"Simply seeing the images of starving children may not empower people to action," says Tara Gajadhar, World Vision's social media manager in the United States. "We want to help people connect to the issue and be able to do something that feels and is substantial -- including contributing, sharing information, and getting others to do the same. Social networking tools are key to empowering people of all ages to help tackle the first famine of this generation."

What you can do

Pray for the children and families suffering from this drought, and encourage your friends to join you though Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites.

Visit www.FamineNoMore.org to get a badge or profile pic for your Facebook or Twitter account, view and share videos, make a donation, and more.

Visit us on Facebook and Twitter to see the activity surrounding this campaign and participate in the conversation.

Make a one-time gift to our Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will multiply five times to help provide emergency food, healthcare, and other critical assistance to this suffering part of the world.

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For families fleeing drought, 5,000 new tents erected in world's largest refugee camp 

August 18, 2011

Some 5,000 new tents are going up in the world's largest refugee camp, just as the region faces the possibility of heavy rains -- and the risk of flash floods -- despite months of dry weather. 

Journey out of Somalia

Baaf Guled, 50, his wife, Mimino, and their six children are grateful to be moving into a tent after an arduous journey out of Somalia. He arrived in the Dadaab area two days ago after a 12-day walk from Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.

"We had nowhere to sleep, so we slept out at night under the stars," said Baaf Guled. "I was worried for my family because of the mosquitoes and malaria. We left Somalia because of the violence and hunger."

1,800 per day fleeing drought

In Kenya, the Dadaab complex sits on a windswept plateau close to the Somali border and houses 440,000 refugees. Most have fled drought at the rate of 1,800 per day -- either into Kenya or Ethiopia.

"Refugee families will be much better off once they are housed in these tents," says World Vision's shelter expert, Mike Pattison. "Thousands of women and children have faced the most daunting trek through dry land without food to escape famine in Somalia and get to the camp."

Tents provide protection

Provided through a partnership between World Vision and ShelterBox, a UK charity, the tents will also help protect the vulnerable from malaria, a potentially deadly disease for children and those weakened by malnourishment. They will also provide much-needed privacy for families living in the crowded camp, and protection from snakes.

"Dadaab is a dry, dusty desert camp overflowing with a sea of people," explains World Vision's emergency communications officer, Mindy Mizell. "There aren't enough tents for everyone moving in, so families are building their own makeshift homes out of sticks, blankets, and clothes. Having a tent is going to bring a huge improvement to people who are already in desperate straits."

However, the intervention will only cover 12 percent of the 40,000 tents required to meet demand.

'A huge improvement'

World Vision has already dispatched more than 2,500 tents to Dadaab and erected hundreds of them, ready for the arrival of the refugees who are moving in from transition areas around the vast complex.

The remaining 2,500 tents are en route by airlift and expected to arrive into Nairobi, where they will be driven 286 miles to the camp. We are working closely with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations' Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to establish this part of the camp.

World Vision also handed out 5,000 emergency kits that include blankets, mosquito nets, buckets, cooking utensils, and personal hygiene items.

Two ways you can help

Pray for children and families in the Dadaab camp. Thank God for the new shelters for some 5,000 families. Pray for more resources to assist the more than 40,000 families still in need of shelter around the camp.

Make a one-time gift to our Horn of Africa Food Crisis Fund. Your donation will multiply five times to help provide emergency food, healthcare, and other critical assistance to this suffering part of the world.