SOS Children's Villages
Humanitarian | |
Headquarters | Innsbruck, Austria |
---|---|
President | Dereje Wordofa |
Website | www |
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.[1][2][3][4] Today, SOS Children's Villages is active in more than 130 countries and territories worldwide.[5][6]
SOS Children’s Villages offers alternative care options for children and young people.
Additionally, SOS Children’s Villages advocates together with – and on behalf of – children and young people who have lost parental care or are at risk of losing it.
SOS Children's Villages relies on contributions from governments and private donors.
History
The
In the second half of the 20th century, the organization spread all over Europe. In 1959, SOS Children's Villages national associations were established in Italy, France, and Germany, and in the same year, the first SOS Children's Villages Youth Facility was founded in Innsbruck, Austria. The first caregiver for SOS Children's Villages was the Austrian Maria Weber (1919–2011). This first patron was
In 2006, the "Colegio Internacional SOS Hermann Gmeiner", in Santa Ana, Costa Rica, re-opened as the United World College of Costa Rica, becoming the 11th United World College and the only UWC in Latin America and the Caribbean. Although no longer operating under the auspices of the SOS Children's Villages, the college continues to have a relationship with the organization, including a program of full scholarships for SOS Children's Villages students, with more than 50 SOS Children's Villages students having attended and graduated from the school.[12][13][14]
Hermann Gmeiner was the SOS Children's Villages president until 1985 when he was succeeded by Helmut Kutin. Helmut Kutin, born in 1941 in Bolzano, Italy, who was one of the first children admitted in SOS Austria, led the organization SOS Children's Villages International for 27 years after which in 2012, he was succeeded by Siddhartha Kaul, born in 1951 in Pilani, India.[15][16]
Governance
Each 118 national SOS Children's Villages association carries out the international organizations’ missions, protocols, and policies. Regional offices guide this work and provide fundraising, marketing, and technical assistance to country offices as needed. Overall management and administration of the organization takes place at the headquarters in Innsbruck, Austria. The highest decision-making body is the General Assembly responsible for electing the President, Vice-President, and other members of the International Senate. Guiding and monitoring of all SOS’ work is the responsibility of the International Senate made up of 22 members. They establish policies, formulate policy changes, and procedural guidelines. The International Senate's work is coordinated by the Management Council, comprising eight representatives from member associations chaired by the President. The Management Council makes recommendations for Senate decisions, approves work plans developed by the Management Team, and defines the federation's targets. The General Secretariat comprises the international offices in Austria, and other regional offices responsible for implementing strategic decisions, developing and monitoring the organization's quality standards, and representing the organization in international communications and forums.
International frameworks
The organization follows three international frameworks that serve as guidelines for their work. The United Nations
Campaigns
No Child Should Grow Up Alone
In 2017, the organization launched the No Child Should Grow Up Alone campaign which aims to emphasize research showing that 1 in 10 children (220 million) worldwide is growing up alone. The campaign is based on global research called the 'Care Effect' claiming that children growing up without adequate parental care are particularly vulnerable to different forms of human rights violations such as child labor, violence, and sex trafficking.[18]
The report concluded that:
"If we provide care for today's children in vulnerable circumstances, giving them the foundation they need for learning and developing life skills, we stand a better chance of building a better future for the world”[19]
Care For Me
In 2012, the organization launched the Care For ME! Campaign to encourage research and assessment on alternative child care and to advocate the need to protect the human rights of children from various violations committed against them. Participating countries need to assess whether their national alternative care system complies with the UN Guidelines for Alternative Care of Children.[20]
I Matter
In 2009, the organization launched the "I Matter" campaign to improve legislation surrounding the practice on leaving care. The aim is to support youth ageing out of care in their transition toward independence.[21]
Regional and national network
SOS Children's Villages is present in over 130 countries and territories around the world. These are listed below by region. SOS Children's Villages organizations in these countries provide active support to children, young people and families. Exceptions are countries marked with an asterisk (*), in which SOS Children's Villages maintains representative offices which focus on fundraising and building awareness.[22]
Africa[23]
Americas[24]
Argentina | Bolivia | Brazil | Canada | Chile | Costa Rica | Dominican Republic | Colombia |
Ecuador | El Salvador | Guatemala | Haiti | Honduras | Jamaica | Mexico | |
Nicaragua | Panama | Paraguay | Peru | Uruguay | United States | Venezuela |
Asia[25]
Europe[26]
Oceania[27]
* Australia | French Polynesia |
Controversy
In January 2018, the branch of the association in Ethiopia was accused of supporting Islam, including forcible conversion of children.[28] The organization denies the allegations but does admit that a mosque (now closed) had been built on SOS land, contrary to policy.[29]
Prominent supporters
The first prominent supporter was the German-British businesswoman Béatrice von Boch-Galhau, wife of the largest shareholder of the ceramic manufacturer Villeroy & Boch. She became friends with the at-the-time unknown Hermann Gmeiner. In 1959, she employed some of her private fortune to pay for the first Kinderdorf in Germany located in Merzig Hilbringen. She also used her husband's political connections to promote the SOS Kinderdorf idea which was first meeting resistance from the local majors.
Prominent supporters include
SOS Children's Villages also receive significant funds through
See also
References
- ^ "'SOS Children's Villages contributing to nation-building'".
- ^ "SOS Village goes a long way".
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages, Radisson to protect vulnerable youths". 6 September 2018.
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages to begin work in Iraq".
- ^ a b "Facts & Figures" (PDF).
- ^ "Supporting refugees and reuniting families through the cloud".
- ^ "International Annual Report 2020".
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages · Hilton Humanitarian Prize". Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages wins Princess of Asturias Award". Youtube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21.
- ^ a b c James, George (27 April 1986). "HERMANN GMEINER OF AUSTRIA, 66; ESTABLISHED SHELTERS FOR CHILDREN". The New York Times.
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages History". SOS Children's Village International.
- ^ "UWC Costa Rica". United World Colleges.
- ^ "United World College Costa Rica". The Excelligent. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "Creating Young Agents of Change Through World-Class Education | UWC Costa Rica". The Knowledge Review. 2019-02-01. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
- ^ "Helmut Kutin".
- ^ "President of SOS Children's Villages International".
- ^ "Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children" (PDF).
- ^ "No Child Should Grow Up Alone 2016 | Bonka circus". www.bonkacircus.com. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ "The 'Care Effect'" (PDF).
- ^ "Behance". www.behance.net. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ "SALTO-YOUTH - Otlas - the partner-finding tool - Otlas - SOS Children's Villages Albania". www.salto-youth.net. Retrieved 2018-10-16.
- ^ Source: SOS website
- ^ SOS Children's Villages in Africa
- ^ SOS Children's Villages in the Americas
- ^ SOS Children's Villages in Asia
- ^ SOS Children's Villages in Europe
- ^ SOS Children's Villages in Oceania
- ^ "Small Christian orphans converted to Islam". agenzia Fides.
- ^ "SOS Children's Villages reaffirms its commitment to children at risk". Agenzia Fides.
- ^ "CEMEX and SOS Children's Villages Partner to Provide Long-Term Care for Orphans of..." (Press release). Reuters. June 26, 2008. Archived from the original on June 26, 2009.