SOS Children's Villages
SOS Children's Villages is an independent, non-governmental, nonprofit international development organization headquartered in Innsbruck, Austria. The organization provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to families facing difficulties and supports children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it. The organization also protects their interests and rights around the world. Today, SOS Children's Villages is active in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide.
Formation | 1949 |
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Founder | Hermann Gmeiner |
Type | International NGO |
Legal status | Active |
Purpose | Humanitarian |
Headquarters | Innsbruck, Austria |
President | Dereje Wordofa |
Website | www |
SOS Children's Villages provides quality care to children and young people without adequate parental care. Children of different ages and background live together in a house with a full-time parent, usually a woman who serves as the children's parent. There are usually 6 to 15 houses in a typical SOS Village. In addition to the Villages, the organization also runs a whole range of programs and facilities to support socially disadvantaged and impoverished families through its subsidized kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, youth facilities, social and medical centers, and emergency response relief operations. In 2017, over 85,000 children and youths are raised in 572 SOS Children's Villages and over 700 SOS Youth Facilities. Another 3.8 million children and adults received services from their other programs.
SOS Children's Villages relies on contributions from governments and private donors. In 2017, the organization's 350 institutional partnership contracts totaled more than €31 million in institutional funds implemented. Funding from foundations and lotteries totaled nearly €48 million, and corporate partnerships provided more than €49 million in support for SOS Children's Villages globally. The organization was awarded the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2002, and the Princess of Asturias Award of Concord in 2016.