SOS Children's Village Juiz de Fora is situated in the city of the same name in the federal province of Minas Gerais. It was opened in September 1980. The city of Juiz de Fora has a population of about 400,000 and is the economic and industrial centre of the region. It is approximately 100 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro. The SOS Children's Village was built on a 4-acre site in a suburb called Grama, which is about ten kilometres from the city centre. It consists of ten family houses where up to 100 children can find a new home. There is also the village director's house, a house for the so-called SOS aunts (SOS mother trainees or family helpers who support the SOS mothers during their daily work and fill in for them when they are ill or on leave), and an administration and service area.
An SOS Youth Facility in the city centre accommodates up to 20 youths from the SOS Children's Village. Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Facility when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.
SOS Children's Village Juiz de Fora runs an SOS Social Centre, which offers full day-care for up to 620 pre-school children. In addition, there is an SOS Hermann Gmeiner Primary School, where up to 450 children can be taught.