Astana has been the capital of Kazakhstan since 1998; the name "Astana" means "the Capital". The city is located in central Kazakhstan on the Ishim River in a very flat, semi-desert steppe region. Since Astana has become the capital of the country, the number of inhabitants has been growing rapidly. The SOS Children's Village Astana is situated in a middle class residential area with schools, hospitals, shops and markets nearby. The children attend the local schools, thus ensuring an effective integration of the children into the local community. The official opening ceremony was held on 23 June 2001 in the presence of the Kazakh president, his wife, and Helmut Kutin, president of SOS-Kinderdorf International, as well as numerous other honorary guests.
SOS Children's Village Astana initially consisted of twelve family houses, houses for the village director and the SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave), a multipurpose hall, a basketball field and an administration and service area. In order to give even more children a lasting home in our SOS Children's Village Astana, two additional family houses were established in 2005. Up to 126 children can find a new home in the fourteen family houses, where they are cared for by SOS mothers.
Further, an SOS-Kindergarten has been operational since July 2000. It has a capacity to take in 80 children and comprises four group rooms. The SOS Youth Facility became operational in 2007 and accommodates up to 16 youths who have already outgrown the SOS Children's Village during their vocational training or higher education, giving them the chance to prepare for an independent life.