Emergency Response

When disasters strike, SOS is there to help.

In times of crisis, children are the most at risk. We respond by providing immediate shelter, food and medical care to children and families. We also offer safe places for children to learn and play, and we help families heal from trauma, adapt to a new environment and start new lives.

Today, humanitarian crises are increasingly frequent and severe, and often occur against a complex backdrop of political instability, widespread poverty and weak state institutions.

These extreme circumstances impact family and community resilience, putting children at an increased risk of losing care and protection when they need it most.

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The Problem in Numbers

1 in every 200

children is a refugee

million

children are living in areas affected by armed conflict

million

children are displaced from their homes

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Local Presence Supports Precise and Swift Response

With a trusted and enduring presence in local communities, our locally led teams are uniquely positioned to provide children with protection and care before, during and after emergencies.

When humanitarian crises occur, SOS is there to quickly move children out of harm’s way and into safe environments, where we provide the food, clothing, medical care and psychological support the children need. We also reunite children with their families, deliver life-saving aid to affected families, and offer special protection and care to traumatized children.

SOS Emergency Response Program Focus

Alleviate Suffering with food, water and shelter.
Reunite Children with their families.
Protect and Care for traumatized children in Child-Friendly Spaces.
Offer trauma counseling for children and families to cope with disaster
Partner with NGOs, governments and the private sector for impactful disaster response.

As a member of the SOS family, you make the world a better place.

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#Nochildalone

No child should grow up alone.

Yet an estimated 220 million children—1 child out of every 10—worldwide are growing up without the care they need.

The absence of a stable, protective family exposes children to multiple risks. Their physical, psychological and social development may be hindered by insufficient nutrition, by no access to education or health care, and by lack of the emotional connection and support that every child needs.

Without a caring and protective parent, a child is more vulnerable to neglect, abuse, discrimination, exploitation and poverty. Lack of love, care and support can even impair the development of a child's brain.

This is a global crisis of unacceptable proportions. Learn more about your impact.

Venezuela Turmoil

Venezuela has been in economic and political turmoil since 2014, when oil prices began to decline, leading to a devastating recession. The government invested less in social programs, which worsened the situation for the country’s inhabitants.

The number of people living in poverty has increased, and the country overall is experiencing severe stagnation and inflation. Food and medicine are in short supply, and child malnutrition is on the rise. Faced with this dire situation and limited economic opportunities, many Venezuelans are fleeing the country

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Refugee & Migrant Crisis

68 million people worldwide have fled their homes because of conflict, unrest or disaster. Children account for more than half of this total. Child refugees face incredible risks and dangers.

While the arrival of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe and the United States has dominated the headlines and sparked heated political discussion, less developed regions host more than 85% of the world’s displaced people. Uganda hosts more than a million refugees from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other neighboring countries. Other conflicts and catastrophes have sparked mass displacement in North Africa, Ukraine, the Caucasus, South Asia and Latin America.

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Syrian Civil War

The Syrian civil war, which began in 2011, has created a widespread and dire humanitarian crisis for 13.1 million people inside the country, including 5.3 million children. The ongoing violence and destruction have led to an acute shortage of food, drinkable water, and medical supplies. Children are growing up without access to education, safe places to play, and health care, including mental health care.

Millions of Syrian children and their families have had to leave their homes. More than 6.6 million Syrians are internally displaced, and more than 5.6 million have fled the country, seeking refuge in neighboring countries and across Europe.

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Supporting the Rohingya

SOS Children’s Villages has provided support to vulnerable children and communities in Bangladesh since 1973. Since 2018, SOS’s work in Bangladesh has included responding to the urgent needs of Rohingya children and families at the Kutupalong and Balukhali refugee camps.

As of March 2018, there were an estimated 800,000 Rohingya refugees living in camps, with more on the way.They fled due to the unimaginable violence that was perpetuated against them in Myanmar. In the camps, they face new challenges, as humanitarian agencies struggle to provide sufficient shelter, food, medical assistance and clean water.

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Take Action

As a member of the SOS family, you make the world a better place. You can give a child immediate relief during a devastating disaster, and a safe place to grow that will lead to a bright and promising future. Act now to transform a child’s life.

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