Living conditions remain precarious for millions of children
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| Photo: SOS Archive |
Living conditions for millions of children in many African countries are still appalling in many areas. This affects the basic necessities for existence, like access to clean water, food and medical provision, as much as to educational opportunities, the right to a say, or play spaces suitable for children.
As is the case in other continents, SOS Children's Villages in Africa is mainly involved in working for children who are unable to grow up in their families of origin, and for families in crisis situations. The extremely high number of children without parental care (one reason for this is HIV/AIDS) in itself has led to us investing widely in extending family support and developing strong local communities in many African countries over the past ten years. In this way the position of particularly disadvantaged children should be improved on site in the long term through self-reliance, strengthening resources and working in partnerships for their well-being should be a common concern.
Raising children in a peaceful environment in response to war
Over the years that SOS Children's Villages has been working in Africa, disasters and war have repeatedly called for a rapid, non-bureaucratic response. In many cases, providing emergency relief led SOS Children's Villages to begin its activities in a country, as permanent facilities and social programmes often followed the short-term and medium-term relief efforts.
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| Hermann Gmeiner with children |
There have been tragic developments, such as the complete collapse of political order in Somalia in the early 1990s. SOS Children's Villages remained in the country throughout the chaos, despite several temporary evacuations, violent attacks and even the killing of children and co-workers. For a while, SOS Children's Villages was one of the very few organisations active in the country. Humanitarian tragedies and crimes against humanity were witnessed in Rwanda, Ethiopia, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mozambique, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Uganda, Kenya and the Sudan. SOS Children's Villages is still active in all of these countries. In some cases, staff members have even risked their own lives to protect the children and help those in need.
For 40 years, SOS Children's Villages has helped to establish peace in Africa's young generation through raising them in an environment characterised by mutual respect, empathy, helpfulness and understanding. Peaceful co-existence and support for those most vulnerable are central to the vision of SOS Children's Villages and these values are promoted, taught and lived in all SOS families, local communities, and educational and social programmes.
Read more about our outlook on the future.