Development

World Vision has been criticised for taking a Western concept of development to third world countries. This orientation is reflected in their zealous efforts to evangelise, and more subtly in the philosophy behind individual sponsorship. Before commenting upon the World Vision programmes we must clearly state our own concept of development: We believe that development must help the whole community to help itself.

The World Vision Manifesto states: World Vision's emphasis is on helping children and those caught out in situations of war, poverty or disaster beyond their control

World Vision has two classes of projects; short term and long term. Short term projects include emergency aid and grants to institutions, while long term projects include economic development, re-settlement, rehabilitation and childcare. The Executive Director's report (World Vision, Summer, 1974) states that:

There is a growing emphasis on development aid especially in Indonesia. By this we mean getting at the root causes of poverty and setting up projects in such a way that the whole communities benefit.

An article in the "New Citizen" (5.5.75) explores World Vision's notion of social change:

"Social change is not out task" says Mr Renner, but he believes World Vision's childcare programmes do bring social change by providing education, independence and opportunity. "We've helped to educate over 100,000 kids in Vietnam and no-one can destroy that."

Emergency Relief

Emergency relief is short term aid, designed to meet the immediate needs of recipients. An example of this type of aid is the Viet kit, a small package of materials made up by New Zealanders for use in Vietnam. There are three types of Viet Kits, sewing, hygiene and school kits.

There appears some confusion as to who distributed the kits in Vietnam. World Vision pamphlets tell us that "Vietnamese Christians" distributed them. However, we were told by World Vision Director, Mr Geoff Renner, that distribution was handled by "the Red Cross" and "other workers from other relief agencies in Vietnam."

Christian Social Action

Although it is risky to establish definite categories, we believe that social action can be regarded as any action that is not primarily motivated by a desire to convert others to Christianity.

World Vision believes that it is obliged to make conservative churches aware that social concern is an integral part of Christianity. We agree this is important, but conservative churches constitute a small percentage of both New Zealand and the third world population.

The real problem when the people of New Zealand are asked to contribute money arises when they are not fully informed of World Vision's Christian orientation.

Childcare comprises 75% of World Vision's New Zealand programme. When we asked Mr Renner why childcare was given such a high priority he replied: "because New Zealanders respond well to appeals for childcare help." He did not seem to care whether or not this was a priority of the Third World.

There are two main areas of childcare assistance: adoption and individual sponsorship.

Adoption

World Vision's attitude towards overseas adoption is apparently contradictory. World Vision of New Zealand has said'

Ours is essentially a sponsorship plan. We consider this better for the child and its country, than adoption to a strange culture. ("Do something Beautiful Through World Vision Sponsorship" Pamphlet)

However, after a major policy change in December, 1972, World Vision became involved in arranging the adoption of babies (especially Vietnamese) into Western countries. (World Vision quarterly. Autumn, 1973)

While World Vision is not a licensed adoption agency of the United States, a flight via Western Airlines was chartered by World Vision International to take 26 babies to the United States from the World Vision New Life Baby Home in Saigon. (New York Times, 4.3.75 & Los Angeles Times, 4.8.75).

And since September, 1972, Vietnamese babies have been adopted by Australian families.

So while World Vision does understand some of the great disadvantages and arguments against overseas adoption, they continue to arrange adoptions where possible.

Most of the children are not available for legal adoption" says a recent pamphlet distributed in New Zealand, "so far we have not been able to bring any children to New Zealand."

Individual Sponsorship

World Vision Sponsorship Programme places continual emphasis on the role of the individual sponsors. As appendices 2 & 3 show, there is some doubt about the authenticity of some sponsorship arrangements although many of these programmes are successful and totally authentic.

The following item appeared in World Vision quarterly (Winter, 1973) reporting on a successful sponsorship:

"World Vision Director, Gene Daniels, decided to appoint him (Diati Ketut) to a position in the World Vision recording studio in Malang. This March he was fare welled from Indonesia by the Far East Broadcasting Company in Manilla.

But for a sponsor who cared, Djati Ketut might be helping his father tend cattle or plant rice. Thanks to that sponsor he may grow up to be a leader in his chosen field."

We ask whether helping one's father tend [unclear: gattle] and plant rice is so bad, and how will this example of sponsorship help the long term development of that community?

The strongest objection to individual sponsorship is that individuals are plucked out of their families (Most World Vision Children are not orphans), go to a Christian, Westernised institution for three quarters of the year; and then return home Since the family itself is unlikely to be Christian and is living in a subsistence Asian agricultural situation, the child's habits and attitudes are certain to clash with his home environment. Upon reaching a certain age, 90% of the children must return to their own villages and fit back into their village community.

Then problem of trying to impose a programme of individual sponsorship upon a community which favours a socialist mode of development are obvious, and have already been dealt with.

World Vision's concept of development through westernisation has not gone uncontested. The Rev. John Atkinson, State Secretary of the NSW Methodist Overseas Mission wrote.'

"The whole concept of out relationships with people of overseas countries, I believe has to be examined in terms of justice and freedom. Any token contribution or even-any dedicated sacrificial giving unless it is accompanied by the possibility of equal opportunity perhaps frustrates people rather than giving them freedom. The fact that a western-orientated society uses local people in overseas situations may not necessarily mean that local people are free to decide policy. Rather local people are forced to fit into the introduced concept. It is extremely difficult for persons and systems to adapt themselves to other cultures and I hold a fear that people under this kind of influence are separated from their own and run the risk of losing their true identity. I feel that identity is discovered at the point where Christian experience relates directly to one's environment and not in a sheltered atmosphere which is introduced from outside the system, which because of its financial position holds a great deal of authority."

World Vision's desire to impose Western values on the Third World countries is epitomised by a comment made by April Hersey in World Vision magazine (Autumn, 1973) when referring to the organisation's aid scheme in Vietnam:

"If only the programmes begum by WV can continue, there will be no shortage of intelligent human beings to carry on the tradition of a Christian country, born, though it may have been, in the horrors of war."

Her comments indicate World Vision's perpeptual effort to link developments with evangelism. Although Vietnam is not yet a Christian country, it would appear that World Vision is making every effort to transform it into one.

World Vision has been extremely successful in soliciting sponsorship for individual children from New Zealanders. While the emotional gratification derived from personal contact does have benefits from a fund-raising point of view, it can impede long-term development. World Vision has officially recognised the need for attacking the root causes of poverty and dealing with whole communities; yet its aid schemes seem to be geared towards producing an indigenous elite. We believe that the New Zealand Public Deeds to be educated towards supporting a non-western way of life; and that World Vision should be encouraged to shift its emphasis from individual to community orientated aid.