SOS Children’s Villages opens doors to Children who have lost parental care due to COVID-19

Mumbai, 30^th April, 2021: SOS Children’s Villages India has announced that it is ready to provide short or long-term care to vulnerable children across the country whose safety, security, and well-being have been severely affected because of losing parental care due to the pandemic and have no caregivers left to provide for them.

Said Mr. Sumanta Kar, Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages: “In these trying times we express solidarity with the people to fight COVID-19, which has devastated the socio-economic fabric of the country. We are trying our best to ensure that all the children under our care are safe and secure. We are willing to join hands with the government, the corporates, and the civil society to extend care to children belonging to the underserved communities, whose families have been affected due to the pandemic in our 32 children’s Villages across 22 states in providing short term and long term care. Children whose parents are COVID positive and are undergoing treatment could be placed under short-term care till their parents recover and children who have lost parents can be placed under long-term care in our Family-Like Care Programme aka Children’s Villages. If you come across any child nearer to our projects, please call our helpline number 18002083232 or email at soscvi@soscvindia.org. We will be happy to reach out to the child and extend support in the best possible manner.”

About SOS Children’s Villages of India

For the last 56 years, SOS Children’s Villages of India has been protecting the best interests of children who are without parental care or at the risk of losing one. It provides them a loving home, helps keep their families together, and supports the youth on their path to self-reliance. Since the inauguration of the first SOS Children’s Village at Faridabad in 1964, the organization has spread across the country. Today, over 6,500 children live in more than 440 family homes inside 32 SOS Children’s Villages in 22 states/UTs, from Srinagar to Kochi and Bhuj to Shillong. They are lovingly cared for and nurtured by 600 SOS Mothers and Aunts. 

As India’s largest self-implementing childcare NGO, SOS Children’s Villages directly touches the lives of around 28,500 children every year. Additionally, it indirectly benefits thousands of vulnerable children, every year through a range of innovative and comprehensive childcare solutions to ensure that no child of any age grows up alone. The interventions range from short-term (of a few months) to long-term after-care programmes (till the children are 23 years old and self-reliant). These are carefully customized for each child to perfectly suit her or his needs. 

SOS Children’s Villages’ “Family Like Care Programme” provides loving homes in one of its Children’s Villages to children without parental care. Its “Family Strengthening Programme” is a community outreach model targeting vulnerable families (widows, single mothers, below the poverty line, etc.) living in the vicinity of Children’s Villages that prevents ‘at at risk’ children from losing parental care. This is done by upholding their family income through women empowerment, awareness generation, and capacity building. 

SOS Children’s Villages of India has always moved deftly to answer the call of the children in need in many natural and man-made disasters. It also advocates for influencing stakeholders as well as inform public opinion on policies and legislation concerning the rights of millions of children and young people, who are deprived of quality care. 

We can provide long-term solutions sustainably with support from partners, sponsors, and friends. Looking forward to your continued support towards achieving this. For donations, please click here https://bit.ly/3iAqRR8

For more information, please visit https://www.soschildrensvillages.in