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Help a vulnerable child access vital physical & mental health care today

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Your sponsorship provides mental and physical health care for a child in need 

Children who are living on their own, without parental care, often suffer from treatable medical conditions, without access to health care. And children with mental illnesses or trauma-related conditions, are rarely able to access the services they need to improve their health and live more fulfilling lives.

There is a way to help. When you sponsor a child with SOS Children’s Villages, you can help an orphaned child, or child separated from their parents, access the mental and physical health services they need to laugh, learn, grow and thrive.  

The problem: Restricted access to children’s health care threatens lives and futures 

Around the world, millions of separated, abandoned and orphaned children are forced to live with preventable medical conditions. Because of limited access to essential health care services, their quality of life is deeply impacted–and the results are devastating. 

The children’s mental health crisis

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that up to 20% of children and young people experience mental health disorders, and nearly one in two children worldwide experience physical or emotional violence, often at the hands of people they trust most. Orphaned children--due to trauma and lack of support–are at even higher risk. 

Without mental health support, children coping with trauma or other mental health challenges are at risk of long-term learning disorders, difficulties relating to peers, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). As these children become adults, untreated mental health issues can result in psychiatric disorders, substance use, serious medical problems and lower income opportunities.  

Chronic illness and mortality

Many children without adequate parental care–including children suffering from neglect or abuse–experience higher rates of untreated chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and heart conditions, which severely impact their education, quality of life and future. 

Tragically, children in developing countries are 10 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday compared to children in higher-income nations, according to UNICEF.

 

Be part of the solution: Sponsor a child with SOS  

When you sponsor a child with SOS Children’s Villages, you can help an orphaned child, or child separated from their parents, access the mental and physical health services they need to laugh, learn, grow and thrive.  

Growing up in SOS Children’s Villages, your sponsored child receives access to complete health care services, including children’s behavioral and mental health, children’s dental health and children’s home health care. 

Empowering through sponsorship

When you sponsor a child with SOS Children's Villages USA, you're directly contributing to the well-being and protection of children at risk of neglect. Here's how your sponsorship makes a difference:

  • Regular medical check-ups: To ensure early detection and treatment of illnesses and the overall health of their developing bodies. 

  • Vaccinations: To protect children from preventable diseases such as measles, polio, hepatitis and more–including those specific to the child’s country.  

  • Access to children’s emergency health care: To provide necessary medical interventions and specialized care from the appropriate hospitals and clinicians when needed. 

  • Child and adolescent mental health assessment: To ensure early detection and treatment of mental illnesses and safeguard children’s overall mental health and well-being. 

  • Counseling services: In addition to the trauma-informed care provided in our villages, children are supported by professional counselors who can help them process traumatic experiences and difficult emotions. 

  • Ecosystem for child mental health: The SOS Children’s Village environment provides a community of caregivers and peers that foster a sense of safety and trust in which vulnerable children can heal, grow and succeed. 

  • Child development mental health awareness: To educate children and young people about mental health issues, available support and healthy coping mechanisms. 

What do I receive as a sponsor?

— A welcome package with your sponsored child’s photo and details about their life in the children’s village

— Mail from your sponsored child’s village twice each year with updates

— A new photo of your sponsored child every year

— The option to take a life-changing trip to visit your sponsored child

— The chance to build a relationship with a brave child as they grow up with your support!

Your impact: Ben’s story

A sponsored girl in Africa called Nani

Your generosity and compassion can illuminate the darkness for a child who is losing hope. A child like 13-year-old Ben.* 

Ben was a quiet boy, living in Nairobi, Kenya with his mother and father. But Ben had a secret. He was just six years old when his father started to hit him—hard. Constantly ridiculed and abused, Ben lived in a state of panic, always listening for the slamming door and approaching footsteps of his father. Wanting nothing more than to feel loved, Ben tried desperately to hide his sadness and feelings of loneliness, while his small body endured years of physical abuse. 

Can you imagine a 13-year-old child having to endure years of such horror? 

Once a bright student, Ben lost interest in school and his grades plummeted. His mental health was deeply affected by the violence at home. Not knowing what to do, and wanting solely to protect her son, Ben’s mother turned to SOS Children’s Villages. 

“I did not know how to protect my own son from the beatings,” said Ben’s mother, who was also suffering at the hands of her husband. 

 

At SOS Children’s Villages, Ben and his mother were given a safe place to live, recover and begin to heal. Ben was introduced to Josephine, an SOS Children’s Villages counselor trained in providing care to children who have experienced trauma. While their first visit was short, Ben kept going back week after week, building trust, and sharing his feelings. 

For children like Ben, violence can have serious, lifelong effects on their development. “The abuse turned me into a silent, fearful person. I could not speak up for fear people would judge me, and that took away opportunities for me. It slowed me down. If I had not gone through a difficult childhood, I would be a very different person.” 

But today, thanks to a caring sponsor like you, Ben is in his second year at a local university, studying information and technology. While he still receives counselling, Ben is looking forward to a bright future: 

“When I am happy and confident, I have something to offer the people around me. That is what I want to do. If it were not for the inspiration, the talking, and the opportunity to open my heart, I would be in a bad place. Now I have the courage to face my fears, the courage to wake up in the morning and to speak up.” 

*Ben's name has been changed to protect his identity.

Your support can be the difference for a struggling child 

By sponsoring a child, you are not just providing financial assistance—you're offering a child hope, health and a better tomorrow.  

Join our community of compassionate child sponsors today and transform the life of a child in need. Together, we can ensure that every child has access to the essential health care and mental health support they deserve. 

 Sponsor a child with SOS Children's Villages USA today and be a part of the solution!

Your sponsorship and giving options


For more frequently asked questions, click here or contact Ade Onadipe, Sr. Sponsorship Manager at aonadipe@sos-usa.org or (202) 347-7923. 

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SOS Children’s Villages USA has four-stars—the highest rating— and a 97% score from Charity Navigator. We guarantee the responsible use of donations, holding ourselves to the utmost level of accountability with internal and external control systems and transparent financial reporting. SOS Children’s Villages USA is also highly recommended by GuideStar, CharityWatch and the Better Business Bureau.

Your sponsorship contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.