World Vision to deliver critical aid for 200,000 children affected by Brazil floods

SAO PAULO (May 8, 2024) — Global humanitarian organization World Vision is responding to historic flooding across Brazil by supporting children and families with relief such as food, clean water and child protection services.

The organization will assist 70,000 families, including 200,000 children, in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Record rains there affecting over 400 communities have killed over 100 people and left 130 people missing.

World Vision aims to raise $8 million to assist flood survivors. In addition to in-kind aid distributions and counseling services, the organization will also support families’ needs through cash transfers.

“This will allow families to buy food, medicine and essential household furniture in the coming months,” explained Thiago Crucciti, World Vision’s national director in Brazil.

Torrential rains that began last week have soaked Rio Grande do Sul, home to almost 11 million people, isolating communities and devastating vital infrastructure such as homes and schools. About 1.4 million people, or 13% of the state’s population, are affected.

In the municipality of Canoas, the local Guardianship Council — a Brazilian child protection body — has said that 104 children have been separated from their families. And with hundreds of schools destroyed or converted into temporary shelters, the disaster has disrupted the education and development of thousands of children across the region, exacerbating the traumatic effects of the flooding and creating delays in learning.

To address the risk of abuse and violence in this unstable environment, World Vision will implement Child-Friendly Spaces for children and adolescents in the affected communities. Trained staff will offer counseling and protection services for vulnerable children.

World Vision staff note that the loss of homes and personal belongings, along with the disruption of daily routines, create a significant impact to children’s mental health and well-being. “Our top priority is to safeguard the mental and physical health of children, which is currently deeply compromised,” Crucciti said.

To this end, World Vision will distribute 15,000 tenderness kits, which are designed to help restore emotional well-being and include coloring books, educational games, snacks, coloring pencils and a toy.

“Each kit represents a step towards recovery and normalcy,” said Crucciti.

“Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in the midst of crises, and often have no idea of the magnitude of the events they are experiencing,” he said. “They find themselves away from home, family and friends … Without an appropriate intervention, these events could leave lasting scars. We must respond now to ensure that they get the support they desperately need.”

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. For more information, please visit worldvision.org or follow on X, formerly known as Twitter, @WorldVisionUSA.