Humanitarian Churches: The Heart that Protects Migrant Children

Faith that protects: how churches are becoming safe havens for migrant children.

When World Vision was founded over 70 years ago, so too was born an alliance that remains alive to this day: the Church as a key partner in our mission to protect and transform lives. Since then, the active faith of churches has been much more than spiritual refuge — it has been a tangible space of help, protection, and hope, especially for those who need it most.

Today, this alliance is renewed through a commitment that touches the soul of our work: the protection of migrant children.

Churches that Open Their Arms and Hearts to Migrant Children

In contexts where insecurity, discrimination, and lack of protection are part of the daily reality for thousands of migrant families, Humanitarian Churches become spaces of trust and refuge. It’s not just about meeting immediate needs — it’s about caring for the most vulnerable: girls, boys, and adolescents who carry stories of uprooting and dreams to rebuild.

Thanks to the efforts of our national offices — such as World Vision Ecuador — and our special operations in Panama, we are equipping local churches, certifying them as Humanitarian Churches and training them to provide a humanitarian response that is safe, dignified, and child-centered.

What Does It Mean to Be a Humanitarian Church for Migrant Children?

• 🛡️ Train in child protection to ensure safety, respect, and voice.
• 💬 Provide psychosocial first aid to heal invisible wounds.
• 🧸 Create safe spaces for play, learning, and dreaming.
• 📋 Align with humanitarian standards, combining compassion and excellence.

Allies That Make the Impossible Possible

Local churches are not just service points — they are bridges of restoration. They know their communities, understand wounds that are not always visible, and can offer not only assistance, but also belonging. Through Esperanza sin Fronteras (Hope Without Borders), we promote this vision throughout Latin America — from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, to Venezuela — because we know that in the midst of human mobility, children cannot wait. Equipping churches means strengthening the first line of protection for children and adolescents on the move.

“Each migrant child carries a dream. Humanitarian Churches not only protect their present — they help build their future with hope and dignity.”
— Wellinton Da Silva, Faith & Development Lead, Esperanza sin Fronteras

Now More Than Ever

In a continent where millions of girls and boys are forced to migrate, every Humanitarian Church is a refuge of dignity, love, and hope. In a world where migrant children are often invisible, a trained church can be the first safe embrace in a foreign land.

At World Vision, we continue walking alongside churches, just as we did from the very beginning. Because we believe that faith is shown through action, and the greatest act is caring for the smallest among us.

In every Humanitarian Church beats the heart of Esperanza sin Fronteras, protecting migrant children.