SOS Children's Village Santa Ana is situated on the outskirts of Santa Ana in the province of the same name in western El Salvador. Santa Ana is about 60 kilometers from San Salvador; it is El Salvador's second largest city. The site was chosen because in the western part of El Salvador, there were not enough facilities taking care of children without parental care. The third Salvadorian SOS Children's Village in Santa Ana was officially dedicated to Pope John Paul II and inaugurated in the presence of Hermann Gmeiner, the founder of SOS-Kinderdorf International, on 27 April 1984.
SOS Children's Village Santa Ana consists of 16 family houses, a director's house, an SOS Youth Facility and an administration and service area. Up to 126 children find a new home at the SOS Children's Village. The young people are accommodated in so-called youth communities where they gradually prepare for their future independence. From the SOS Children's Village, hospitals and markets can be reached on foot or by public transport. The children attend public kindergartens and schools nearby the SOS Children's Village; this assures their early integration into the neighbourhood.