World Vision CEO makes stop in Lismore

World Vision CEO Daniel Wordsworth has returned to Lismore to ask whether the NGO should be working alongside flood impacted communities at home. Here are the details.

The CEO of an international charity with ties to the Northern Rivers is visiting Lismore to learn how they can get involved with flood recovery.

CEO of World Vision, Daniel Wordsworth said due to his family connections in Lismore he wanted to visit the area and see how World Vision could get involved in the recovery.

“One of my brothers is a teacher here in Lismore at a school that has almost been wiped out,” Mr Wordsworth said.

Mr Wordsworth has a long career in post-disaster community recovery programs around the world and has just returned from Ukraine supporting Worlds Vision’s operations.

“I know it’s been incredibly hard on the community,” he said.

“I’ve been in communities all over the world that have had to rebuild.”

He said that Lismore had to rebuild before, but this time round it is incredibly tough for all involved.

“I am looking forward to seeing what has happened around the town and seeing what work is being done.”

CEO of World Vision Daniel Wordsworth at Mountain Blue Farms Lindendale. Picture Cath Piltz

Mountain Blue Farms is a major World Vision supporter.

Five cents per punnet of Eureka Blueberries sold in Coles is donated for World Vision community programs in Uganda, including forest regeneration to address climate change.

Founder of Mountain Blue Farms, Ridley and Mieke Bell divide their time between their farming pursuits and caring for the homeless at the Lismore Soup Kitchen.

Mr Bell told Mr Wordsworth the most pressing issue here is homelessness.

President of the Lismore Soup Kitchen Mieke Bell takes a moment while explaining the enormity of what the February and March floods have done to Lismore. Picture Cath Piltz

The couple have been working with homeless people for over 30 years.

“It’s been twelve weeks since the mega-flood and we have people living in homes without walls, it’s getting colder and colder.

“It’s a very difficult situation living in Lismore,” Mr Bell said.

“What we really need is roofs over heads.”

Mr Wordsworth said the tide has turned for all of us.

“Of course climate change is real and it’s hitting us hard here,” he said.

“When people think of World Vision it conjures up images of foreign aid in foreign countries.”

Mr Wordsworth said World Vision needs to be asking whether it should be working in places like Lismore and working alongside communities here.

“I’m reminded about something I see in many places, whether it’s Kyiv or a place like Damascus actually where there is always a commonality when people have to go through something really dreadful.

“There is not really one disaster that is worse than another one.

“When you lose your home, your business, when you lose the bowling alley where you love to hang out in, or movie theatre – all of that stuff is incredibly tough.

“When you have to live in a caravan outside your house or you have to live in a pod somewhere, all of this is really difficult,” Mr Wordsworth said.

Lismore is bouncing back, businesses are reopening but Mr Wordsworth said it will depend on time.