About SOS-Children's Villages

SOS Children's Villages is a private, non-political and non- denominational international welfare organisation.

SOS Children's Villages offer orphaned and destitute children, regardless of race, nationality or creed a new and permanent home and prepare them for an independent life.

SOS Children's Villages exist in 132 countries world-wide and operate in more than 1500 projects including Kindergartens, Youth facilities, Hermann Gmeiner Schools, Vocational Training and Production Centres, Medical Centres and SOS Emergency Relief Programmes.

SOS Kinderdorf International is the umbrella organisation to which national SOS Children's Village Associations are affiliated.

Hermann Gmeiner, the late founder of SOS Children's Villages was born in Austria in 1919. His own mother died when he was young.

After World War II Hermann Gmeiner built the first SOS Children's Village in Imst, Austria in 1949, after he had been moved by the plight of thousands of homeless, destitute and orphaned children after the war. He continued to help orphaned and destitute children worldwide and expanded the SOS philosophy until his death in 1986.

Helping the foster care system work better

For some children, foster care works well. For others, it does not. Children are often moved from one foster home to another and are separated from their brothers and sisters. They stay in the system for years, never knowing who to call a family or which place to call home. SOS Children's Villages offer an innovative alternative to foster care by providing children with safe, permanent families and homes.

http://www.soschildrensvillages.org.uk/sponsor-a-child/european-child-sponsorship/estonia.htm