A girl carries her brother through the SOS Chidren's Village in Itahari, Nepal

October 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, who became acquainted with Nepal’s royal family.

Nepal, home to Mount Everest and many of the world’s highest peaks, is one of the world’s poorest countries. Its lack of a safety net and infrastructure leaves countless children without parental care due to poverty-related issues.

High levels of illiteracy and unemployment spell bleak prospects for Nepal’s young people. Providing them with an education is one of the country's most pressing needs. At the opening of the new SOS Children’s Village the president of Nepal, Rambaran Yadav expressed his gratitude toward SOS for sharing his government’s interests in ensuring a brighter future for Nepal's children. Among SOS’s many facilities in Nepal are eight schools.

Two friends in the SOS village in Pokhara-Chhorepatan, Nepal. This village was originally built for the children of Tibetan refugees

The new SOS Children’s Village is in Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage site said to be the birthplace of Buddha. Located in west-central Nepal near the Indian border, SOS-Lumbini will hold 150 children (80 are currently living there). It will complement the eight other SOS Villages as well as other SOS facilities in the country. Besides SOS schools, these include seven youth facilities, three vocational training centers, eight social centers -- which run family strengthening programs -- and one medical center.

Attending the ceremony was Günther Platter, the governor of Austria’s Tyrol region. Tyrol played a key role in constructing the new SOS Children’s Village in Nepal by financing eight of the 15 family houses, the administrative buildings, and the SOS Kindergarten. Governor Platter first announced Tyrol’s commitment to this project at the 2009 festivities celebrating SOS’s 60th anniversary in Imst, Austria.

Recalling the spirit of SOS’s founder, SOS president Helmut Kutin addressed the children, SOS mothers, and guests present at the opening ceremony: “From the mountains of Tyrol to the mountains of Nepal, we want to join hands in committing to care for neglected, abandoned children.”

Your support can bring tangible hope to a Nepalese boy or girl.

Would you like to learn more?  Sign up to receive SOS Children's Villages eNewsletters to stay informed about issues that affect children or join SOS Global Village Builders today to support SOS Children's Villages around the world. For just 40 cents/day you can join a movement for a child's right to a family and make dreams come true.