The fourth SOS Children's Village in Costa Rica is situated about 1km from the centre of the small city of Santa Ana. Santa Ana is a suburb of Costa Rica's capital town of San José and the SOS Children's Village is in a middle class neighbourhood. There is a major ceramic industry nearby and the area is also known for its production of onions and local handicrafts. Important international companies have established their offices in the area. This has brought economic progress and employment for local families. Nevertheless, there is a big demand for a facility that provides a family-based care on a long-term basis as the number of unprotected children living in the central valley of San José has increased considerably.
The conversion of the transit home into an SOS Children's Village was started in 2007. It will consist of 10 family houses, the village director's house, the house for SOS aunts (family helpers who support the SOS mothers) and an administrative building and will give a new home to up to 90 orphaned or abandoned children. The six existing houses of the transit home and the kindergarten will be remodelled and converted into 8 family houses and two additional family houses will be constructed. Within easy reach of the SOS Children's Village Santa Ana, there are schools, shopping facilities and a health centre.