Powerful Quake Strikes the PhilippinesFebruary 7, 2012: An earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck Negros Island, in the south-central Philippines, on Monday morning, February 6, local time Haiti Two Years Later: Two Sisters' StoryJanuary 31, 2012: Twenty-nine-year-old Lelly Laurentus is an unemployed computer technician who drives a taxi when work is available. As reported by The Associated Press (AP)... Child Trafficking in Central Africa On the RiseJanuary 26, 2012: Every year hundreds of thousands of children, themselves or their parents lured by promises of a better life, are spirited across Central African borders, forced into lives of grinding street labor or sex slavery. Haiti Two Years LaterJanuary 9, 2012: Evidence of Haiti’s massive earthquake of January 2010 that killed more than 230,000 people and deeply affected the lives of 3 million others is still pervasive. Despite some progress, 50 percent of the rubble remains uncleared. Haiti Two Years After the Earthquake, in PhotosJanuary 4, 2012: On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck Haiti claiming the lives of more than 230,000 people and affecting three million others. Significant progress has been made in reconstructing Haiti. Philippines Hit by Deadly FloodingDecember 20, 2011: An estimated 1,000 people living on the southern island of Mindanao and surrounding region in the Philippines have died from severe flooding caused by Tropical Storm Washi. Christmas Memories Last a Lifetime for SOS ChildrenDecember 16, 2011: For the abused and unwanted children who arrive at SOS Children’s Villages, celebrating Christmas for the first time in the warm embrace of their new SOS families often provides a sense of security they’ve never had. Supplying Key Medicines to Help Kenya’s Drought VictimsDecember 14, 2011: Dennis Mwaniki, a new community health nurse, has a lot on his plate. Stationed in the northern Kenyan town of Marsabit for his first nursing job, he finds himself in the middle of a three-year-drought. Financial Crisis in Greece InterviewDecember 13, 2011: The three SOS Children's Villages in Greece are facing some major problems. Increasingly, parents want to hand over their children to the SOS Children's Villages because they can no longer feed them. How SOS has Responded to the East Africa CrisisDecember 1, 2011: Since our Emergency Relief Program got underway across the Horn of Africa last July, SOS Children’s Villages has helped save lives and improve living conditions for in excess of 70,000 victims of famine.
Life and Death for a Pregnant Mother in EthiopiaNovember 30, 2011: Endurance is a way of life for Fatuma, a woman who gave birth to nine children and is pregnant with another. Raised in the hot, arid region of eastern Ethiopia, near Somalia, Fatuma has had to accept whatever life brings. Thailand's Floods Wipe Out Homes, Crops, and FactoriesNovember 2, 2011: The worst deluge in half a century has hit 30 of Thailand’s 77 provinces, killing 270 people and stranding thousands. The severe rains and mudslides have destroyed farmland equal to 13 times the size of Hong Kong. Clashes in Mogadishu Evacuate SOS Children's VillageOctober 11, 2011: Fierce clashes between Somalian government troops and the Al-Shabab group have forced SOS Children’s Villages to remove to safety all SOS children, mothers, staff, hospital personnel, and patients for the first time since 1985. A Second Chance for Education in BangladeshOctober 7, 2011: Abida is a teenage girl who studies at an SOS Children’s Villages School in Bogra, Bangladesh, one of the poorest countries in the world. Even as a young child, Abida worried about her own education. In Gambia, a Special SOS Haven for BabiesSeptember 26, 2011: Mariama, not yet a year old, is living in a transitional home for babies in the SOS Children’s Village in Bakoteh, 10 miles from Gambia’s capital Banjul. Nepalese Children Sold to Circuses in IndiaSeptember 16, 2011: Fueled by a desire for a better life for their children, poor families in southern Nepal are selling offspring as young as five years old to Indian circuses for $13. But parents usually never receive the wages promised. Preparing for Diwali, the Hindu Festival of LightsSeptember 30, 2010: The holiday Diwali is as crucial to Hindus around the world as Christmas is to Christians. In 2011 Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, begins on October 26. The five-day festival marks the victory of light over darkness. Food Prices Unaffordable in Kenya and SomaliaAugust 25 2011: The emergency aid program of SOS Children's Villages in East Africa is securing food for the drought victims. Both in Kenya and Somalia there is actually food available in local stores, but almost nobody can afford it. Les Cayes Haiti in PicturesAugust 17, 2011: View a collection of photos from Les Cayes, Haiti. SOS Children's Villages is scheduled to begin construction of a new Village in Les Cayes in early 2012. SOS Children's Villages to Open New Village in HaitiAugust 16, 2011: The third SOS Children's Village in Haiti will be built in Bourjolie, a community within Les Cayes, a seaport on Haiti's southwestern peninsula. Construction is scheduled to begin in early 2012. SOS Children's Villages Romania in PicturesAugust 11, 2011: View a collection of photos from SOS Romania. At present there are three SOS Children's Villages in Romania, three SOS Youth Facilities, two SOS Kindergartens and five SOS Social Centers. SOS Mother in Romania is Pillar of FamilyAugust 11, 2011: Magda, an SOS mother in the SOS Children’s Village at Hemeiusi, in Romania, was raised as an only child. “All my life I dreamed of having many brothers and sisters,” she says. Somalia Badbado Refugee Camp in PicturesAugust 4, 2011: An SOS Children's Villages Medical Clinic has been established in the Badbado Refugee Camp in Somalia to help the displaced people that are in urgent need of medical attention.
Empowering Women in GuatemalaJune 30, 2011: Isabel, 51, is a mother of twelve and a grandmother of three from Sololá, a mostly Mayan area of Guatamala overlooking Lake Atitlan. SOS Children's Villages Alum From Ghana Makes GoodJune 23, 2011: Twenty-six-year-old Charles is in his last year of medical school at the University of Ghana in Accra, that nation’s capital. But any education, let alone medical school, was hardly a given for Charles, who was orphaned at eight. SOS Village Head is Father Figure to Namibian ChildrenJune 9, 2011: As Father Day approaches, SOS honors Haufiku Serbaber, director of the SOS Children’s Village in Ondangwa—one of three SOS Villages in Namibia, a country in southwest Africa that lies on the Atlantic Ocean. SOS Mobile Library a Boon to Indonesian ChildrenJune 3, 2011: The mobile bus, chock full of books and a book-loving adult happy to read them aloud, pulled up to the elementary school in Bogor, a city on the island of Java, 36 miles south of Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta. SOS Other Mother Contest at Final Voting StageJune 3, 2011: In recognition of loving adults in the United States who step up to the plate to raise children not their own, SOS Children’s Villages is holding a contest for “Other Mother of the Year.” Drought in Somalia Deeply Affects ChildrenJune 1, 2011: The drought currently afflicting almost a third of Somalia’s people is one of the worst in recent history, reports the BBC. With the harvest diminished and livestock dying, some 2.4 million Somalis could become destitute or lose their lives. Haiti’s President Vows to Step Up Anti-Rape EffortsMay 27, 2011: At a forum held on May 6 to discuss how to bolster Haiti’s anti-rape laws, Haiti’s then president-elect Michel Martelly promised to address what he called the “very serious” problem of rape. New Rwanda SOS Children's Village OpensMay 24, 2011: On May 6 2011, the SOS Children's Village Kayonza in eastern Rwanda officially opened with a celebration attended by dignitaries and honored guests. SOS Children in Syria Remain SafeMay 19: Despite the unrest in Syria over the last few months, all SOS children and facilities in that country are safe. Children in both SOS Children’s Villages — in Aleppo, in northern Syria, and in Qodsaya, a Damascus suburb, continue to attend school. Mother in Zimbabwe Faces Tough Call on Children’s CareApril 1, 2011: Tariro Moyo’s four school-aged children will probably not be welcomed in their father’s household. Divorced from Moyo three years ago, he has remarried and is living in a two-room cottage with his new wife who is not eager to take them in. Caring for Child Victims of Nuclear Reactor LeaksMarch 22, 2011: The Children’s Village at Fukuoka, located 660 miles southwest of Tokyo, is working with Japanese authorities to help ensure that children who have lost their families after Japan’s earthquake and tsunami get the care they need. An Elephant Visits Kenya's SOS Children's VillageFebruary 22, 2011: “Elephant watching is a favorite pastime for both children and staff in Meru,” says Peter Wambugu, Village Director of the Kenyan SOS Children’s Village Meru, “But we usually watch them through a fence as they forage.” In Africa for Forty Years, SOS Looks to FutureFebruary 11, 2011: Since opening its first SOS Children’s Village in Africa, in Côte d’Ivoire in 1971, SOS has managed despite great odds to give hope to hundreds of thousands of abandoned children. SOS Reaches Forty-Year Milestone in AfricaFebruary 10, 2011: SOS Children’s Villages has operated in times of risk and times of peace across the continent of Africa in pursuit of one main goal: to raise Africa’s vulnerable children in an environment of respect and understanding. Post-Tsunami Facilities Submerged in Sri LankaFebruary 8, 2011: Heavy monsoon rain caused flooding across the eastern, northern and north central provinces of Sri Lanka for the second time in less than a month, affecting the SOS facilities in the area. Break-Ins Reported at SOS Children's Villages in EgyptFebruary 3, 2011: The SOS Children's Villages in Cairo and Alexandria were broken into Tuesday. Children and SOS Mothers are unharmed but a Village Director in Alexandria was injured in an altercation with trespassers. Brazil Floods Separate Children from FamiliesJanuary 20, 2010: In response to one of the worst natural disasters in the nation’s history, the Brazilian government has made SOS Children’s Villages the designated temporary caregiver of children ... SOS Children in Tunisia Are UnharmedJanuary 19, 2010: As of January 17, the four SOS Children’s Villages in Tunisia remained safe in the midst of national unrest following the recent overthrow of President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. SOS in Sri Lanka Moves Displaced Children to JaffnaJanuary 18, 2011: Eighty unaccompanied children under the care of SOS Children’s Villages since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in May 2009 have been moved, with their caregivers, to the northern town of Jaffna. Côte d'Ivoire’s Disputed Election Produces Political CrisisDecember 14, 2010: With two rival candidates having declared themselves winners of Ivory Coast’s November 28 presidential election, the government remains paralyzed. Many people in this West African nation fear violence, reports Reuters. Hanukkah, Re-dedication, and SOSDecember 6, 2010: The Jewish holiday Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, honors the re-dedication of the holy temple in Jerusalem. World AIDS Day 2010November 30, 2010: Wednesday, December 1, marks World AIDS Day, an opportunity to increase awareness of the disease and of the 33.4 million people living with it today. SOS Children's Villages to Help Flood Victims in BeninNovember 4, 2010: Hundreds of thousands of people in West Africa are struggling with floods brought on by unusually heavy seasonal rains. The death toll is 400, with some 1.5 million people displaced, according to United Nations Radio. Volcanic Ash Kills SOS Volunteer in IndonesiaSOS Children's Villages reports with sadness the death of Slamet, the volunteer coordinator of the SOS family strengthening program in an area in central Java near Mount Merapi, which began erupting on October 26. Meningitis Vaccine Bringing Hope to West AfricaOctober 22, 2010: The West African nations of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger are test sites for a promising new meningitis vaccine that could save thousands of lives across sub-Saharan Africa’s “meningitis belt” stretching from Senegal to Ethiopia. Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard in India for SOSOctober 15, 2010: Totally enthralled. That was the reaction of the children at SOS Children’s Villages in Alibaug, India, when on October 12 Hollywood couple Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard jumped on stage to dance to a popular Marathi song. SOS in Nepal Pleased to Launch its Ninth Children's VillageOctober 13, 2010: SOS Children’s Villages inaugurated its ninth SOS Children’s Village in Nepal. SOS’s presence in the Himalayan nation dates to 1973, when the first SOS Village was built following a visit to Nepal by SOS founder Hermann Gmeiner. One Million More Filipino Children Living in PovertyOctober 8, 2010: Forty-four percent of children in the Philippines, or 12.8 million children under age 15, live in poverty. This alarming figure represents a 4 percent rise in poor children between 2003 and 2006—an increase of roughly one million. Haiti's Tent Communities Hit by New StormOctober 1, 2010: Eight months after Haiti was struck by one of the world’s worst earthquakes, a sudden storm with high winds shredded more than 5,800 tents housing families who lost homes in the January disaster. Sixty-Nine Million Children Still Out of SchoolSeptember 22, 2010: While world leaders meet this week in New York to bolster efforts to reach the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, a new report spotlights the challenges to meeting one of those goals—achieving universal primary education. SOS Honors MothersMay 6, 2010: Mother's Day holds special meaning for SOS Children’s Villages. SOS mothers are at the heart of SOS’s model of family-based care for children who can no longer grow up with their biological parents. South Africa Speeding Up Fight Against AIDSApril 29, 2010: After years of neglecting its AIDS crisis, South Africa is launching a massive effort to provide testing, prevention, and treatment services to its citizens. SOS School Reopens in HaitiApril 12, 2010: For the first time in almost three months, the flag of Haiti is flying above the SOS school in Santo. Child Trafficking on Rise in SomalilandApril 6, 2010: According to the IRIN news service, which captured the story on April 2, Somaliland's government is trying to raise awareness of the trafficking problem. A Haiti Fit for ChildrenMarch 29, 2010: On March 30 at UNICEF in New York, a coalition of child-focused organizations including SOS Children’s Villages... SOS Haiti Alum Returns to HelpMarch 11, 2010: Nathalie Nozile is back in the SOS Children's Village of Santo on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince, in the home where she grew up. SOS Chile Safe After Earthquake-Induced LootingMarch 3, 2010: With 13 SOS Children’s Villages throughout Chile, some of the charity’s homes, schools, and training centers suffered structural damage from that nation’s powerful February 27 earthquake. Deadly Earthquake Hits Central ChileFebruary 27, 2010: A massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Chile this morning triggering a tsunami. The quake that devastated Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, in January 12 was magnitude 7.0. SOS Children's Villages Rescue Teams in HaitiJanuary 17, 2010: A team of staff from SOS Children's Villages and volunteers from the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica arrived at the SOS Children's Village in Santo on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince yesterday. SOS Rescue in HaitiJanuary 16, 2010: The two SOS Children's Villages in Haiti are still standing and are taking in orphans. SOS staff from the Dominican Republic and Peru experienced in the aftermath of earthquakes are focused on emergency relief efforts. Haiti Hit by Massive EarthquakeJanuary 13, 2010: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit Haiti on Tuesday evening, destroying many buildings and killing hundreds, possibly thousands of people. India's Small Farmers Already Facing Climate ChangeDecember 15, 2009: While global leaders meet in Copenhagen to hash out a deal to slow climate change, farmers in India's Uttar Pradesh state, near Nepal, are adopting techniques to meet the challenge of changing weather. Follow Angelina Jolie's LeadDecember 9, 2009: Blogs and tabloids are reporting that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have a "secret family" in Amman, Jordan. In reality, Angelina has long been a sincere supporter of SOS Children's Villages. Human Rights for Orphans Recognized WorldwideNovember 20, 2009: The U.N. General Assembly welcomed a resolution on the Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children today, on the 20th anniversary of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). SOS has been deeply involved. Welcoming U.S. Help in Ending Congo's Sexual ViolenceNovember 19, 2009: On November 15th, the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Minister of Gender, Family Affairs, and Children thanked the U.S. for the $17 million given to Congo to help end the sexual violence there. Movie "Precious" Opens in Los AngelesThe movie “Precious,” which premiered in Los Angeles last weekend, is getting unusual buzz. Based on a 1997 novel called Push, by Sapphire and Romona Lofton, the film traces the story of Precious, an abused, illiterate, pregnant teenager living in Harlem. Floods in Southern India Worst in a CenturyOctober 8, 2009: Week-long flooding caused by severe rains in southern India have killed 250 people and left 2.5 million residents without homes. The states of Karnataka and Andra Pradesh have been most heavily affected. Child Labor Remains Prevalent in ZambiaSeptember 22, 2009: The former British colony is also one of the poorest nations in the region. Its poverty and AIDS problem have led to soaring child labor cases. Children Celebrating Ramadan in 2009September 2, 2009: This year’s holy month of Ramadan, which began on August 22nd, is being marked by Muslims around the world as it has for centuries -- with fasting, prayer, and good deeds. SOS Prepares for Swine Flu in IndiaAugust 14, 2009: SOS Children's Villages continue to closely monitor reports of H1N1 "Swine Flu" virus infections following recent news of an outbreak in India. Hillary Clinton Visits Democratic Republic of CongoAugust 12, 2009: Secretary Clinton's African tour aims to show Africans that the United States cares about its people. Her visit with innocent victims of Congo's conflict reflects her deep concern for the well-being of women and children around the world. Deadly Typhoons Hit East AsiaDevastating storms wreaked havoc through the Philippines, Taiwan, and China over the weekend, triggering some of the region's worst flash floods and landslides in decades. New Drug To Reduce Spread of HIV/AIDSAugust 10, 2009: Researchers have discovered a new drug that could help stem HIV transmission among girls in rural Africa by preventing Schistosomiasis, a disease which has been shown to contribute to HIV’s transmission. People's Funeral Held for AquinoAugust 5, 2009: Thousands attend funeral for former president Corazon Aquino while SOS Children's Villages continues to fight poverty in the Philippines Blasts Hit Two Popular Hotels in Jakarta, IndonesiaJuly 20, 2009: Bombs struck the JW Marriott hotel and nearby Ritz-Carlton on July 17th, killing eight and wounding dozens of others. SOS Children's Villages provides vital stability to orphans in Indonesia. Unrest in Urumqi, ChinaViolent clashes between Han Chinese and Uigurs in Urumqi, China where an SOS Children's Village is located President Obama and SOS in GhanaJuly 13, 2009: During President Barack Obama’s one-day visit to Ghana, in western Africa, he urged Africans to take responsibility to address deep-seated problems. Obama In Moscow to Bolster U.S.-Russian TiesJuly 6, 2009: President Obama arrived in Moscow for two days of talks with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. Both nations are seeking to smooth relations, which have been strained for many years, while SOS Has Been in Russia Since 1995 Honduras: SOS Needed In Midst of Political TurmoilJune 30, 2009: Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was forced into exile by military troops who broke into his palace. The turmoil created by political instability increases the need for services provided by SOS Children's Villages. SOS Children's Villages Celebrates Love Day with CartierJune 11, 2009: For the fourth year in a row, Cartier has linked its Love Jewelry Collection to charities around the world. SOS Children’s Villages is proud to be one of these major partners joining in this celebration of Cartier’s Love Day Lebanon Elections Result in Hezbollah LossJune 9, 2009: In Lebanon’s June 7th parliamentary elections, the Shiite-supported coalition, which includes the powerful Hezbollah, did not win as predicted. The results of Lebanon’s democratic elections point to its people’s hope for peace. President Obama in Germany after Cairo speechJune 6, 2009: President Barack Obama delivered a long-awaited address to the Muslim world from a stage at Cairo University, then few to Dresden, Germany for a conference on Middle East peace efforts. Secretary of State Clinton in HondurasJune 2, 2009: Hilary Clinton is in Honduras to participate in a summit of the Organization of American States (OAS) to signal part of the U.S. government's interest in strengthening ties with Latin America. India's Ruling Party Wins ElectionsMay 21, 2009: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh won a second five-year term in office as the result of India's month-long parliamentary elections. Obama Announces Global Health InitiativeMay 13, 2009: President Obama announced an initiative to help people in the world's poorest countries. Funding will be used to combat HIV/AIDS and other health-related issues. SOS Children's Villages in Georgia Helps Refugees08/18/08 - SOS Children's Villages has been caring for refugee families in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, for several days. SOS Children's Villages is also looking after families from crisis area Abkhazia in Kutaisi. |