Three years ago, World Vision Taiwan launched
an Earthquake Rehabilitation Program to help people in the quake-hit area
rebuild their homes. The three-year rehabilitation program was completed
this month, and part of the rehabilitation efforts is transitioning to
sustainable development work. To commemorate completion of the program,
a series of events were conducted on Sept. 14, including a joint thanksgiving
service, agricultural products fair, concert, and historic photo exhibition.
On Sept. 21, 1999, the worst earthquake
in 100 years took 2,494 lives and caused destruction of 105,480 homes in
Taiwan. In the aftermath of the earthquake, donations and support are pouring
into the disaster area from both domestic and international communities.
World Vision Taiwan raised around US$17,128,104 from private donors, World
Vision Partnership offices, and Hong Kong as well as the Japanese government,
providing critical emergency assistance, short-term sheltering, and long-term
placement and holistic projects. Through child sponsorship, family function
recovery, community redevelopment and rehabilitation, the quake survivors
have been gradually getting back on track.
The villagers, who were assisted by World Vision Taiwan, and representatives from different private and public sectors that collaborated with World Vision in relief and rehabilitation efforts attended a thanksgiving service to show their sincere gratitude to donors.
World Vision's rehabilitation work was presented in the service. With the main objectives of rebuilding homes, helping the victims become self-reliant, and restoring the original functions of communities, World Vision Taiwan implemented holistic projects, such as child sponsorship in the disaster area, construction of prefabricated houses, subsidies for house and church reconstruction, sports field rehabilitation, simple water purification, household sanitation facilities and care for the elderly living alone. A total of 667 prefabricated houses were erected providing proper household equipment and 6,500 children received living and psychological care as well as education through sponsorship.
To help the quake-affected people display the outcome of their painstaking efforts, World Vision Taiwan organised an agricultural products fair following the thanksgiving service, selling various kinds of produce, fruit, and handicrafts across forty-five stands.
"Despite that the rehabilitation program has come to a close, World Vision Taiwan will not leave the disaster area," concluded Mr. Tim Shao, President of World Vision, "part of the work is transitioning to sustainable development to further consolidate the results of the rehabilitation work." More importantly World Vision Taiwan has set up an emergency relief alliance by liaising with private organisations, businesses, and churches. Through systematic, organised consolidation of resources, and preventive measures in response to disasters, World Vision Taiwan hopes to deliver timely relief assistance in the most efficient way and reduce possible damage caused by future disasters.