Capital: Hanoi
Area: 329,560 km²
Population: 83.5 million (July 2005)
Ethnic groups: Annamese, Chinese
Official language(s): Kinh
Religion(s): Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Chinese and Christian faiths
Currency: dong
SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
Vietnam was one of the very first countries outside of Europe, where in 1967 Helmut Kutin, then representative of SOS Children's Villages International in South East Asia, began to implement Hermann Gmeiner's childcare concept. In 1969 the first children settled into the SOS Children's Villages in Go Vap and Da Lat which were closed by the government, when the Vietnam War ended in 1976. For many years SOS Children's Villages International intended to re-open the much needed facilities in a country ravaged by decades of war and economic hardship.
In 1987 Helmut Kutin managed to draw the negotiations to a successful close and the facilities could once again be used for their intended purpose. Reconstruction at Go Vap and Da Lat began early 1989 and in November the first children together with their SOS mothers could move back in again. That same year also a new SOS Children's Village at Mai Dich/Hanoi was completed. The lack of suitable accommodation for the large numbers of orphaned and abandoned children led to the establishment of numerous additional facilities in the following years.
Connected to these children's villages are SOS Kindergartens and SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools, which are also open to children and youths from the vicinity. The SOS youths who outgrow the children's villages are accommodated in the SOS Youth Facilities where they learn to become independent and are assisted in their job search. The SOS Medical Centre in Da Lat has been providing the neighbouring population with medical assistance and nutritional counselling since 1976.
In 2005 SOS Children’s Villages started to operate Family Strengthening Programmes, which enable children who are at risk of losing the care of their family to grow within a caring family environment. To achieve this, SOS Children’s Villages works directly with families and communities to empower them to effectively protect and care for their children, in cooperation with local authorities and other service providers.
At present there are thirteen SOS Children's Villages as well as one SOS Children’s Village under construction, ten SOS Youth Facilities, eleven SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools, twelve SOS Kindergartens, three SOS Vocational Training Centres, four SOS Social Centres (Family Strengthening Programmes) and one SOS Medical Centre.
Contact:
SOS Children's Villages of Vietnam
Alley 1, Pham Van Dong Street
Mai Dich - Cau Giay
Hanoi
Vietnam
tel. +84-4-7644 019
fax +84-4-7644 020
Website of SOS Children's Villages Vietnam
(available in Vietnamese and English)