Other community work in Monrovia
Since SOS Children's Village Monrovia opened its gates in 1981, the work has continued to expand. Today, SOS Children's Villages is not only caring for children in need, but is also providing invaluable support and offering hope to local families and communities through a number of facilities and programmes.
SOS Children's Village Monrovia
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SOS Kindergarten Monrovia consists of four classrooms, a Montessori classroom, a kitchen, a multi-purpose hall, and some additional rooms. It is attended by up to 100 children, both from the SOS Children's Village and from the local community.
In September 1985, an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School (primary and secondary school) was opened at Monrovia. There are nine classrooms and five special-purpose rooms (physics and chemistry labs, sewing room, typing room, arts and crafts room, and library), as well as a canteen and an administration and service area. Up to 315 pupils can be taught at the school. More than half the pupils are from the local community.
From the very beginning, SOS Children's Village Monrovia has included an SOS Youth Facility for boys and an SOS Kindergarten. The SOS Youth Facility consists of two buildings with a total of twenty bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining hall, and a youth counselling centre. It accommodates 40 youths. For youngsters from the SOS Children's Villages, moving to an SOS Youth Facility is usually the first step towards an independent life. SOS mothers, educators and village directors prepare the youngsters very carefully for this important step in their lives. Young people usually stay at the SOS Youth Facility until they have finished their education or training and found a job. On average, this takes four years.
In June 2003, an SOS Emergency Relief Programme was launched. Refugees are provided with meals at the SOS Children's Village and struggling families receive food for a year. Around 4,000 people benefit from this emergency relief programme in a year. For one year, SOS Children's Villages also ran an emergency clinic.