The first humanitarian assistance is on its way to people in Gori, a city ravaged by bombing during the recent conflict in Georgia and the breakaway region of South.Osstia, through a coordinated effort by World Vision, the World Food Programme and the Georgian Ministry of Finance.

This delivery consists of a 10-day supply of food for 1,000 people in Gori, a city which continues to be occupied by Russian soldiers.

World Vision staff did not accompany the delivery for security reasons.

'Gori has been a no-go zone since the conflict began, so we know those people who have remained are in dire conditions,' David Womble, National Director of World Vision Georgia, said. 'We hope access will go smoothly, so we can increase the amount of urgent items we deliver to this conflict area.'

Gori has been a no-go zone since the conflict began, so we know those people who have remained are in dire conditions,' David Womble, National Director of World Vision Last night, Thursday 14 August, World Vision distributed 10-day food supplies to over 1,000 people in eight collection centers. Today, the organisation distributed food to over 2,000 beneficiaries in two collection centers. To date, World Vision has helped over 5,000 displaced persons in 22 centers.

While Russian soldiers remain in Gori, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Georgia to firm up the cease-fire agreement between Russia and Georgia. Russian troops control Gori, which is located 15 kilometers south of the South Ossetian border and 60 kilometers northwest of Tbilisi, though the occupation has remained largely non-violent.

As talks continue, the Georgian capital Tbilisi continues feeling the wave of the estimated 100,000 displaced persons by the conflict. In just a 24-hour period, the number of registered persons in collection centers dramatically jumped from nearly 20,000 to 50,000, and the number of centers grew from 279 to 439.

World Vision continues its efforts to help the ever-growing number of displaced persons flooding into Tbilisi, the Georgian capital. World Vision is helping 25,241 persons in 264 of the centers.