I went to Mongolia, quite glad to escape the haze and all ready to embrace the endless  expanse of blue skies. Some trippers  who had visited before noted that there was much development on the way to Uvurkhangai. There were fewer potholes and now a packed KFC in the middle of the dessert surrounded by camels, horses and sheep dog. It couldn’t have been more exotic.

It was refreshing to have met like-minded individuals who wanted to find out firsthand how World Vision’s sponsorship programme partners with communities in need to benefit the young and at-risk. We started as a group of strangers from different backgrounds embarking on a five-day trip to a foreign place, but through the 5 days, we bonded by experiencing the tangible, positive and powerful impact that the perseverance and support for this sponsorship programme have yielded.

Typhoon Koppu made landfall in the province of Aurora early Sunday. It is expected to remain over mainland Luzon for up to three days and exit Philippine area of responsibility by Saturday, October 24.

World Vision communicator Joy Maluyo in Isabela shares, “I saw large tracks of rice fields inundated by floods. If rains continue for days the crops will rot and farmers will bear big losses if they fail to salvage their harvest.”

Over nearly 5 years fighting in Syria has reportedly killed 220,000 – 76,000 last year alone. More than 4 million people have fled the country and 7.6 million are displaced in Syria. More than half are children.

2 pairs of brothers, Alvin and Rnolance, and Henokh and Erwin, set off before 6am every school day. They ride their horses across rivers and through a forest before reaching school. It’s a long journey to school but through World Vision’s child forum, the boys learn that education is important. Going to school will help them to reach their dream, to get a better future.

Monsoon rains have come this year with special ferocity, causing death and extreme flooding in Myanmar, India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan in the aftermath of Cyclone Komen. Our staff are reporting multiple areas of damage in their countries.

When I knew that I was given the opportunity to lead a group of trippers to Lesotho, I was ecstatic since this would be my first step into the African continent. Then came the news that this would be the last trip that we would be making to Lenkoane community in Lesotho since we were phasing out of the community and that's when I got a little worried.

In India, a former sponsored child was the first in his village to graduate from college—an accomplishment he credits to his World Vision sponsor.