SOS Children's village Bethlehem

Two girls who live at the SOS Children's Village in Bethlehem were among the children from the Ghirass Cultural Centre in Bethlehem who visited Leicester in 2005. The family hey stayed with kept in touch with them. Then the family visited the SOS Children's village in Bethlehem when they toured Palestine with other members of the Jewish Group, Just Peace Leicester. The family sponsor children from the SOS Children's village. They are encouraging others to sponsor children and are raising funds for projects in the village. 

Loughborough artist Paul Gent worked with children in the village to paint a mural.

Layla A. Kaiksow worked for several years at the village. She is now studying for a Post Graduate qualification at S.O.A.S. in London. Layla has given presentations in Leicester about the SOS Children's village in Bethlehem and my do so again. She can advice on projects and project budgets for which they need funding. Please contact us if you would like her e-mail address, or information on fundraising in Leicester. You can also send donations directly to the Arab Bank, Bethlehem Branch: Account Name: SOS Kinderdorf International KDI USD Account Number: 9050-707834/570 Swift Code: ARABPS22050.   


SOS Children began working in the West Bank in the Palestinian Territories in 1966 and just two years later children opened the SOS Children's Village in Bethlehem. It consists of ten family houses, two youth houses, the village director's house, a guesthouse for co-workers, a house for the so-called SOS aunts (SOS mother trainees or family helpers who support the SOS mothers during their daily work and fill in for them when they are ill or on leave), an administration and service area, a room for medical treatment and the village shop. Today, there are nearly 110 children living in the SOS Children’s Village.

The SOS Kindergarten adjoining the SOS Children's Village up to 90 children, both from the SOS Children's Village and from the local community, can attend this kindergarten.

The SOS Hermann Gmeiner School Bethlehem is also open to children from the local community. Currently, about 170 children are taught at the school.

The SOS Mobile Medical Centre Bethlehem opened in April 2003. was set up inside a container for increased mobility. Inside there is a simple doctor's office and a small laboratory. SOS Medical Centres exist in rented rooms in Nablus and Hebron. In addition to all the services offered by the mobile SOS Medical Centre, people can go to the Medical Centres for psychological or psychiatric counselling.

SOS Children’s Villages

SOS Children’s Villages (SOS) is an international organization with over 450 villages across the world. SOS villages are run with a very specific and unique style of care, love, cultural/religious consideration, and psychological support. The first SOS Children’s Village was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Imst, Austria. He was committed to helping children in need who have lost their homes, their security and their families as a result of the Second World War. Mr. Gmeiner has a vision to save the souls of orphan children with long-term family-based care founded on four universal principles: the mother: each child has a caring parent, brother’s and sister’s: family ties grow naturally, the house: each family creates a home, the village: the SOS family is part of the community. As SOS Children’s Village grew as an organization and began to develop in various nations across the world, it established a policy that took into consideration the social, religious, and economic realities of each specific country.   

 
The long-term family based care of the SOS Children’s Village is rooted in four principles: 

The Mother: Each child has a caring parent
The SOS mother builds a close relationship with every child entrusted to her care, and provides security, love and stability that each child needs. As a child-care professional, she lives together with the children, guides their development, and runs her household independently. She recognizes and respects each child’s family background, cultural roots and religion. 

 
Brothers and Sisters: Family ties grow naturally
Girls and boys of different ages love together as brothers and sisters, with natural brothers and sisters always staying within the same SOS family. These children and their SOS mother build emotional ties that last a lifetime.  

The House: Each family creates its own home
The house is the family’s home, with its own unique feeling, rhythm and routine. Under its roof, children enjoy a real sense of security and belonging. Children grow and learn together, sharing responsibilities and all joys and sorrows of daily life. 

The Village: The SOS family is part of the community
SOS families live together, forming a supportive village environment where children enjoy a happy childhood. The families share experiences and offer one another a helping hand. They also live as integrated and contributing members of the local community. Through his or her family, village and community, each child learns to participate actively in society.  

Each child is provided for through education, youth programs, self-development, sports, and psychological support. SOS-Bethlehem employs a full-time social worker that stays in close contact with each child’s educational development and outside activities such as sports, art, music, etc... A psychologist is also on staff to help children deal with separation anxieties and emotional issues and also to help ease the adjustment of new children. This team also works together to help the mothers create specific development plans for each child and reviews the children’s progress monthly.