Bauska is a town in the south of the country, about 65 kilometres south of the capital Riga. The SOS Children's Village is located on the outskirts of the town in a suburb called Islice. The surrounding area is of rather rural character, and is inhabited by middle-class families living in one-family homes. The official opening of SOS Children's Village Islice took place on 25 October 1998 in the presence of the president of Latvia and Helmut Kutin, president of SOS-Kinderdorf International.
SOS Children's Village Islice consists of twelve family houses, the village director's house, two administrative buildings including a garage and a store-room and a house for the SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave). Up to 84 children can be given a home there.
The SOS Kindergarten has also been operational since September 1997; it comprises four group rooms, a multi-purpose room, a library, a canteen and a room for medical treatment, and has a capacity for up to 80 children. The family strengthening programme offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional, health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills. To meet the needs of the increasing numbers of youngsters an SOS Youth Facility was set up in Jelgava. Up to fifteen youngsters stay there during their vocational training or further education and their youth leaders help them prepare for an independent life.