2025 reflections: Another year of loving homes 

Here are some of the incredible accomplishments we achieved together last year:  

January 

When civil war tore through the northern region of Ethiopia, Hannah* lost everything. The violence destroyed her home, and the seven-year-old girl witnessed a devastating trauma: her father’s murder. 

But thanks to compassionate friends like you, Hannah wasn’t left alone in her suffering. She was rescued and welcomed into SOS Children’s Villages Bahir Dar.  

“When Hannah joined my family, she couldn’t speak,” Kassech—Hannah’s SOS Mother—said. “She woke up breathing heavily and afraid she was going to die. She needs encouragement and assurance of her safety every day to process the trauma.”   

But with trauma-informed care from her nurturing caregiver and trained mental health professionals, Hannah is healing, receiving the happy, healthy childhood she deserves.  

Now, she enjoys learning in her kindergarten class and sleeps peacefully through the night!  

Learn more about how trauma-informed care transforms children’s futures 

February 

Three years of war in Ukraine have left more than seven million children vulnerable, displaced and—often—alone.  

Since February 2022, SOS Children’s Villages and our partners have relentlessly provided short- and long-term aid to the children and families who need it most—delivering safe shelter, nutritious food, professional health care and more.  

“Everything we get from SOS Children’s Villages is useful,” Iulia, a mother of three, said. “From flu medication for the children, to tutoring, and especially the psychological support. We cannot cope with the trauma on our own.”   

Help more children and families in Ukraine 

March 

During Gender Equality Month, SOS Children’s Villages celebrated the stories of girls and women around the world—like Emula*. 

When Emula and her four siblings were placed in an orphanage, Emula became the mother figure to help her siblings meet their needs.  

When children—especially girls—are forced into caregiving roles, they lose opportunities to pursue education, independence and the potential for future success. However, when girls grow up with the foundation of a safe, nurturing family, they have the support and freedom they need to pursue their right to education and focus on their own goals instead of taking on premature caregiving responsibilities. 

Now, growing up in an SOS Children’s Villages with all of her siblings, Emula is free to dream about her future of becoming a police officer! 

Read more about how loving families advance girls’ rights  

April 

For many young people who grow up in alternative care—like orphanages, group homes or with foster families—their 18th birthday is a distressing milestone.  

As soon as they become a legal adult, they’re often forced to leave their home, thrust into unsupported independence. Without parental guidance or an emotional safety net, these young people are left to navigate housing, finances, education and other major life decisions—alone.   

In addition to no familial support, these teenagers have little or no state support: Governments across the world are failing care leavers. That’s why SOS Children’s Villages commissioned, and Madrid’s Comillas Pontifical University authored, the International Standards and Recommendations on the Right of Leaving Care of Children, Adolescents and Young People deprived of Family Care. 

During the United Nations Economic and Social (ECOSOC) Youth Forum in April, the largest annual gathering of young people at the United Nations, SOS Children’s Villages presented the policy—and promoted young care leavers’ voices, like Vitoria from Brazil, to the forefront of discussions so that young people can advocate for their rights, contribute their expertise on reform and be leaders in shaping their own futures. 

"I truly believe that what’s missing—what’s really needed—is psychological support,” Vitoria said. “Financially, over time, we can manage and become independent. At least for me, that wasn’t the biggest issue. The biggest problem was not having anyone to rely on."  

Support our work to amplify young people’s voices 

May 

When war erupted in South Sudan in the early 1980s, young Gatod and his family were forced to flee, seeking refuge from the violence. But he found more than safety—he discovered an educational opportunity that shaped his entire future at an SOS Children’s Villages community school. 

Today, Gatod’s educational journey continues as he pursues a graduate degree in Middle Eastern and North African studies and social linguistics. His ultimate goal? To become a foreign services officer—a career path inspired by his early education.   

 But Gatod’s connection to SOS Children’s Villages runs deeper than his own experience. During his childhood school years, he formed friendships with children from the nearby SOS Children’s Village.   

“While I was lucky enough to have my mom and dad, those kids didn’t have anyone but SOS,” he said. “I saw firsthand how this is something good to be involved in, something that makes a difference in this world.”  

Witnessing this impact inspired Gatod to become a monthly sustainer of SOS—despite being on a student’s budget.  

“I’m a student, so I can’t give much, but I know that if I give a little, and someone else gives a little, that it will add up to a great impact for kids in need,” Gatod said.  

Join Gatod and help another student succeed  

June 

More than 250 million children around the world don’t have access to the quality education they deserve. Instead of sitting in classrooms, they’re met with overwhelming barriers—poverty, hunger, inaccessible schools and more—that keep them from unlocking their full potential.   

For 10 years, EduCare has removed barriers that keep children from learning and families trapped in cycles of poverty.  

Through comprehensive support—like school supplies, training and professional development for teachers, nutrition support and caregivers’ economic empowerment—EduCare equips children to build a brighter future through education while keeping them safe by ensuring they remain in the protective environment of a secure school.  

Now, children like Erena*, a teenage girl in Ethiopia, are not skipping school to earn enough money for nutritious food. Instead, they are learning, growing and working toward their dreams. 

“Before I joined EduCare, life was very difficult,” Erena said. “I was washing clothes every day to earn money. But now, I’m able to focus on my education and my dream of becoming a doctor.” 

Read about the 10-year celebration of EduCare Ethiopia 

July 

More than 20% of young people globally are not in employment, education or training.  

But with SOS’ global YouthCan! program, young people aren’t left to navigate the rite of passage into adulthood alone.  

Launched in 2017 YouthCan! delivers comprehensive support with an encouraging community of peers and mentors to build young people’s confidence, develop skills and achieve quality, sustainable employment. 

Each of YouthCan!’s 23,000+ participants worldwide receive holistic, personalized support to help them achieve their personal and professional goals—like Sneha, a young care leaver in India. 

“I doubted myself and felt I wasn’t good at anything,” Sneha remembers. “[YouthCan!] gave me courage and confidence. I see myself growing every single day.” 

Through comprehensive support that addresses practical skills and emotional support, YouthCan! is proving that every young person deserves and can build a successful, independent future. 

Equip another young person for success 

August 

Three decades ago, tragedy struck when Hoang’s parents passed away, leaving the 24-day-old baby malnourished and completely alone.  

With no other biological family members to care for him, neighbors brought him into their home. But they—like 3.6 million other people in Vietnam—were living in extreme poverty. Unable to afford milk to nourish Hoang, the couple fed him drops of saltwater in a desperate attempt to keep him alive.  

Hoang’s story might have ended there—another heartbreaking victim of childhood hunger.  

But thanks to generous donors, SOS connected with the neighbors and welcomed Hoang into an SOS Children’s Village in Vietnam, where he would experience what every child deserves: a safe, loving family and everything he needed to thrive—like nutritious food, professional health care and a quality education.  

In 2020, Hoang founded Your-E, an organization dedicated to providing education and equitable opportunities to orphaned children, students in rural communities and young people facing disadvantages.  

Today, Your-E programs serve students across 48 provinces in Vietnam and has expanded to four other countries, creating educational opportunities for thousands of at-risk children and young people.   

Hoang’s story highlights a powerful truth: investing in children’s education creates a ripple effect that doesn’t just change a child’s life—it transforms entire communities.  

Send a child in need the resources they need to learn 

September 

In 2025, SOS Children’s Villages contributed to a comprehensive global report, “The Right to a Good Start in Life: A Child’s Right to Holistic Early Child Development”, which calls for governments globally to increase investments in early childhood development programs—giving every child the healthy start they need to survive and thrive. 

According to this research, strong family structures and community support systems are vital for children’s emotional security, cognitive development and overall well-being, emphasizing an area of child development that SOS has championed for decades: the importance of safe, loving families.   

Read the full report 

October 

To escape forced recruitment into a criminal organization, Daniel* had no choice but to leave behind everything—his education, his work, even his family—in Honduras and flee to Mexico. 

Without the provision and protection of a parent or adult, Daniel embarked on the perilous journey alone, scared and vulnerable to violence, exploitation and other life-threatening situations.  

Until a compassionate friend like you helped connect him with SOS Children’s Villages.  

SOS delivered the safe shelter, clean water, nutritious food and mental health care Daniel desperately needed. While he received this critical care and protection, Daniel discovered something unexpected but just as healing: friendship.  

Because of your support, Daniel experienced the power of loving bonds, hope and resilience—even during the most challenging of circumstances. 

Read Daniel’s full story (and others’ we celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month) 

November 

Since the conflict began in Gaza in 2023, at least 19,000 children have been separated from their families—like two-year-old Fares*. 

Separated from his father amid the violence, the toddler was alone, scared and struggling to survive unimaginable hardships until a local mosque Imam found Fares and connected him with SOS Children’s Villages.  

For nearly two years, Fares continued to grow up protected with Hidaya, his SOS caregiver. While Hidaya cared for Fares—providing the nutritious food, professional health care, education and everything else he needed to develop, grow and thrive—SOS staff never stopped their family tracing efforts.  

One day, SOS staff were finally able to identify a possible address. Through careful coordination and verifying documentation that proved Fares’ father’s identity, SOS confirmed they had found Fares’ family!  

A week later, Fares’ father arrived at the camp for a heartwarming reunion—just in time for the holiday season.   

Watch Fares’ joyful reunion with his father 

December 

When Leela’s* husband unexpectedly passed away from an illness, she was left alone and grieving—with no income to support her two children.  

Like many women in Nepal, she faced an uncertain future without the skills or resources needed for financial independence and stability.   

But her story didn’t end here—through SOS Children’s Villages economic empowerment and skills training, she transformed her life and built a business that provides for her family’s future.  

Leela fulfilled her and her late husband’s dream, opening a small veterinary shop in her community! Now, she’s expanded her business and travels to nearby villages treating animals—from beloved pets to livestock that families depend on for income.   

“Life still brings challenges, but I am proud of how far we’ve come,” Leela said. “My bond with my children is strong. We share laughter, meals and simple moments. They remember their father with love, and I want to keep his memory alive for them."   

From all of us at SOS Children’s Villages, thank you for your unwavering support and compassion in 2025. To receive more inspiring stories about the worldwide good we will accomplish together in 2026, sign up for our monthly newsletter.  

Together, we’re ensuring every child grows up in a safe, loving home! 

*Names changed to protect privacy. 

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