Sponsor a Child in Asia & the Middle East

Exploitation and Instability 

Ever since the Syrian Civil War began in 2011, Syrian families have suffered tremendously, losing family members, their homes, their means of support, and their sense of security. Millions have fled the country. Many of those who remain in Syria lack clean water, food, and medical care, and deal daily with the effects of the war. Millions of Syrian children are growing up without access to education, safe places to play, or desperately needed mental health care.  

On the other side of the region, the Uighurs, a Muslim minority living in western China, continue to chafe under Chinese rule. They have little economic or political power, and extreme poverty in the area means that many families are unable to care for their children.  

SOS on the Ground: Caring for Children Amid Hardship 

In Syria, vulnerable children and families find help through a variety of SOS Children’s Villages programs. Orphans and other children without family care are welcomed at SOS villages. Child Friendly Spaces provide traumatized children with psychosocial support and active learning through play and recreational activities, with a focus on enhancing children’s self-esteem and nurturing friendships and social connection. To get families back on their feet, SOS’s family strengthening programs include parenting support sessions, food assistance to ensure adequate nutrition, and microfinancing to enable parents to set up small businesses to provide a stable income.   

In China, SOS villages in 10 locations – including in the Xinjiang region, which is a majority Uighur area – provide loving homes for orphaned and abandoned children. Young children in the community can attend SOS kindergartens while their parents receive training or go to work, and SOS also supports youth with education and training.