After fleeing the war in Ukraine, Irina arrived in Georgia with her two daughters, injured and uncertain about the future. With consistent support from World Vision—ranging from financial assistance and emotional care to access to education and skills development—Irina was able to rebuild her life. Today, she runs a small pottery business with her daughters, turning hardship into hope and offering a powerful example of resilience and renewal.

In an era defined by the twin imperatives of environmental protection and economic resilience, one of the pertinent yet less explored questions is: Can we harness the power that is already around us? In East Asia, where both rural traditions and rapid modernisation coexist, the answer to this question is not only yes – it’s a solution waiting to get the needed acceleration.

The land that saved us

In Angola, attending school is still a challenge for many children. According to the National Institute of Statistics, in 2022, the dropout rate in primary education reached 11.6% of children who had been enrolled since the beginning of the academic year. The gap between urban and rural areas is even more severe for girls, who face gender-based discrimination and lack of adequate infrastructure to manage their menstrual hygiene.

The Okulonguesa project, implemented in Namibe in vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities like Nkhondo, is transforming lives. In addition to benefiting the children attending the only school in the locality, which is the central focus of World Vision Angola’s interventions, it has also positively impacted the lives of many mothers.

Global aid cuts risk erasing $163B in returns by 2030. Investing in children yields $10 for every $1—yet child-focused aid is shrinking fast.