Courage, peace & inspiration

As Covid first spread and affected the daily lives of people during 2020, Viva’s seven partner networks in India responded with emergency food relief to vulnerable communities in their cities, and began to run Viva’s Phone Mentoring Programme. In Dehradun, the capital city of the Indian state of Uttarakhand 271 families received the support of […]

Supporting families through the Covid crisis

Lucy Cox reports on how the first phase of Viva’s family phone mentoring programme reached thousands of families during 2020. Viva’s family phone mentoring programme was designed about a year ago as a response to the growing and alarming Covid-19 crisis – specifically to reduce violence and abuse of children and to provide psychosocial support, […]

Someone to talk with

BY GARY KAMAAL To support vulnerable families and children during the COVID-19 pandemic, Viva India is distributing food relief to daily wage earners and migrant workers in five cities. Those receiving relief have lost their jobs, and are fearful of the present situation and uncertain about their future. Their children’s development is being adversely affected […]

Flood relief for Patna families

More than 750 vulnerable families in Patna, India, hardest hit by extensive flooding following the heaviest monsoon floods in 25 years, are receiving emergency relief from Viva’s partner network in the city. Essential food, shelter, mosquito nets and medical care will help 758 families, comprising 3,500 children, women and men. Our local network of churches […]

“Talking to God with friends gives us hope”

BY EMMA STONEHOUSE “Talking to God with friends gives us hope.” This is what a group of teenage mothers in Brazil said about the value of being part of Viva’s movement of prayer for children in early June. They were among more than one million people from across the globe who joined together in the […]

A fresh way of thinking

Last year, Viva India ran child protection training in 119 schools, reaching around 850 adults and almost 11,000 children in six cities. The programme, which ensures schools fully comply with the Indian government’s child protection guidelines, has gained Viva a reputation for delivering high quality training. Two teachers at schools in Patna, in Bihar state, […]

Learning to listen to children

Last year, over 200,000 adults in 14 countries were reached with positive messages about treating children in their care better through Viva’s Good Treatment Campaign – more than double the number of the previous year. A total of 900 churches and organisations from 22 of Viva’s partner networks worked together to reach people in their […]

Local saints: Sister Veena’s story

Sister Veena draws her inspiration from Jesus, who walked from village to village proclaiming good news to the poor, the outcast, and the neglected. She leads an organisation in Patna, India that protects children in vulnerable situations, particularly those of travelling migrant workers, many of whom have drug and gambling addictions. Becoming part of Viva’s […]