Everything we do is aimed at ensuring that children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it grow up with the bonds they need to become their strongest selves. We work with children, young people and families in more than 130 countries and territories, tailoring our services to the unique needs of individuals and communities. We partner with governments, corporations, individuals and institutions to have the greatest possible impact.

In 2023, we reached 2,993,600 people worldwide. We supported 103,500 families, provided 69,000 children and young people with a range of care options, and responded to 32 humanitarian crises.

2023 ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS

107

countries where we worked towards positive change in policy & practice

103,500

families supported to stay together

32

emergencies responded to with child protection activities

136

countries and territories where we worked

52,000

young people & adults in YouthCan! or other employment & entrepreneurship training

69,000

children & young people cared for in a range of care options

International Annual Report 2023

75 Years of Impact

Child Message 2023

SOS Children’s Villages showed me that, with all that I had gone through, life was not all about harshness. I had a smile. They have understood me ... when I have that load off my back, I can now be free. And freedom is what I’m going for.

Wairegi, family strengthening programme, Kenya

Our social impact assessments address four main themes: breaking the cycle of separation and abandonment through care, enabling self-reliance through education and employment, securing basic needs, and building a foundation for social and emotional well-being.

Our 75 years of experience shows that when children in our target group are able to thrive in spite of the traumas they may have endured, they are more likely to contribute positively to their communities and, if they have children, to be good parents themselves. In this way, the work made possible by our many donors and partners not only impacts hundreds of thousands of children and young people today, it also helps to ensure a brighter future for generations to come. Read the 75 Years of Impact publication (2024) to find out more.

Care and relationships

92% of former participants are doing well: they have strong family relationships with friends and family, are well cared for (if children), and (if adults) give good care to their own children, passing down the care they have received into the next generation

Enabling self-reliance through education and employment

59% of former participants have received education and acquired skills, are succeeding in the job market and earn a decent living

Securing basic needs

72% of former participants are doing well in terms of accommodation, food security and health

Social and emotional well-being

82% of former participants are experiencing social and emotional well-being and are safe from discrimination and other harm

Our impact in the lives of individuals

Prevention

In our direct work with families and extended families, we offer a range of services, such as livelihood support, parenting workshops, support in accessing social services, and counselling. Our aim is always to foster the family’s own resilience. In 2023, we reached 541,500 people through family strengthening.

Protection

High quality care means services that are tailored to the needs of each individual person, context and situation. For the 75% of children and young people in care who have had an experience of trauma, this might involve specially-trained caregivers or extra mental health support. As of the end of 2023, 97 member associations had included specific mental health actions in their national plans.

Advocacy

All children have equal rights to care and protection. Along with partners, we defend and promote these rights on a global, regional, national and community level, striving to improve national child and social protection systems. In 2023, we worked towards positive change in policy and practice in 107 countries.

For example in 2021, in Belgium, we successfully campaigned for passage of the “Siblings Law,” which enshrines in law the right of children not to be separated from their siblings when they are placed in alternative care, as long as it is in their best interests.

Our social return on investment

Results show that we are having a tangible economic impact: for every €1 invested into SOS Children’s Villages' programmes, €4.50 is returned to society in benefits.

Of course, the primary impact of our work cannot be quantified financially. With children and young people growing up with supportive and caring relationships, they can develop into the strongest version of themselves. The value of this impact cannot be put into numbers.

Our contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals

With over 75 years of expertise in working to ensure children’s rights, we are committed to making the world a better place for children and young people – a place where they can grow up to become their strongest selves. We are therefore committed to ensuring that our work contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the global goals for peace and prosperity adopted by the United Nations in 2015.

Find out more about how we support the SDGs.

OUR IMPACT

2023 ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS

107

103,500

32

136

52,000