In 1982, after a meeting between Hermann Gmeiner, Bruno Kreisky (the former Austrian Chancellor) and Queen Noor Al-Hussein, the decision was made to build an SOS Children's Village in Jordan which would provide long term care to Jordanian children. In 1983, an agreement was signed with the Jordanian Ministry of Social Development to approve the work of SOS Children's Villages in the country and a year later, with the blessing of King Hussein, the SOS Children's Village Association of Jordan was founded.
In May 1986, the first SOS Children's Village, in Amman, welcomed children into its twelve family houses. To help the orphaned children feel part of the wider community, SOS Kindergarten Amman also admitted children from outside the children's village.
In 1991, a second SOS Children's Village followed. This time the location was chosen in Aqaba, a harbour town in the south of the country. From 1993 on, the youths who have outgrown the SOS Children's Villages have been accommodated in SOS Youth Facilities in Amman. Here they can prepare themselves for living on their own and are given help in finding jobs.
The third SOS Children's Village was built in Irbid, in the north of the country. It was one of SOS Children's Villages' 50th anniversary projects. It opened its doors in the autumn of 1999. Short after this, a start was made on the youth work there. This was particularly important so that the girls graduating from the Aqaba region, where there are very few possibilities for them, could find a place to study. In 2003, a training centre for SOS mothers and personnel was settled in Amman.
At present there are in Jordan three SOS Children's Villages, three SOS Youth Facilities, two SOS Kindergartens, a SOS Vocational Training Centre and two SOS Social Centres.
Website of SOS Children's Villages Jordan
(available in English and Arab)