Word Vision participated in a UN-led convoy that distributed food and non-food items to people in Gori, Boshuri and Kareli, Friday. This convoy marks the first World Vision humanitarian aid to reach the people affected by the conflict who remained in Boshuri, a village five kilometres southwest of Gori, and in Kareli, a town 15 kilometres west of Gori on the major highway.

World Vision provided food in the first UN-led distribution to Gori last week. This second convoy contained World Vision-prepared hygiene kits for 750 people in Boshuri and 10-day food supplies for 500 people in Kareli. A second distribution of food to Kareli will be made tomorrow for 500 more people.

'World Vision continues to work with the World Food Programme (WFP) to help as many of the people affected by the crisis,' David Womble, National Director of World Vision Georgia, said. 'We hope to continue our humanitarian relief efforts to those we have not been able to reach, now that Russian troops are withdrawing back to South Ossetia.'

Russian troops starting heading north to South Ossetia today, fulfilling Russian President Dmitri Medvedev's promise that the withdrawal would begin today.

In addition, earlier this week, World Vision Georgia received trucks from Azerbaijan that contained 66.1 metric tons of food on Tuesday August 19. The shipment will feed 17,000 displaced persons for 10 days and was arranged through the help of the World Vision Azerbaijan office.

To date, World Vision has delivered food to more than 11,500 beneficiaries in 49 centres, and non-food items to more than 9,000 beneficiaries in 49 centres.

World Vision plans to help more than 50,000 beneficiaries in some 300 collection centres, of the more than 120,000 displaced living in more than 700 centres.

-Ends-