N.Z. generous to World Vision

Press, 15 October 1982, Page 6

N.Z. generous to World Vision

Compared with other countries, New Zealand gave more money per head of population to World Vision, said a Kenyan field director for the Christian organisation, in Christchurch yesterday. Mr MacMillan Kiiru said that New Zealanders gave $5 million a year to World Vision, almost $2 a person a year. “With your small population this makes New Zealand the most generous of all nations contributing to World Vision.” he said. Donations also came from Canada, the United States, Australia, and European countries.

Mr Kiiru is visiting NewZealand explaining to groups how the money is spent and outlining the organisation's goals. World Vision works in 85 countries where programmes are tailored to local conditions.

“In Kenya we have a $5 million annual budget for relief programmes in the dry and famine-stricken areas,

child sponsorship programmes, and training courses based on both rural and urban areas. “We respond to the needs of the local communities. We receive applications for assistance from the local church and we act on these. “The programmes need to

be people centred, aimed at providing training and developing skills and knowledge that the community needs. “We emphasise human development and, therefore, buildings and vehicles will be funded only in exceptional circumstances as part of a comprehensive programme," he said. Mr Kiiru said that selfreliance was the central focus of World Vision’s aims. The end result was to help people produce their own food, earn their own income, and create a closer community life.

“We concentrate on training so they will have a future. By teaching such things as handcrafts and carpentry it makes it easier for them to get a job afterwards. They receive tools at the end of the course so that they can set up their own business.”

Mr Kiiru said he was verygrateful to New Zealanders for their donations and hoped that the support would continue.