SOS Children's Villages was asked to help build a provisional facility for youngsters who arrived at Dharamsala after they had fled from Tibet. The aim of that facility was to give these youngsters education and training. About 50 km from Dharamsala, a school and a residence were built. SOS Children's Village Bir developed out of this project. The funds for the construction of this SOS Children's Village were raised by the Tibetans themselves, from sponsorship money, special donations and a contribution by the Dalai Lhama.
SOS Children's Village Bir was opened in 1994. At first, it consisted of twelve family houses, but four more have been added. There is also a community house, an SOS Kindergarten and an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School. The school with its 22 classrooms has a capacity of 700 students. The SOS Children's Village is located at the small village of Suja, which lies at an altitude of 4,000 feet in beautiful Kangra Valley. The local population consists mainly of poor Indian farmers. There are a few small markets in the vicinity of the SOS Children's Village.