SOS Mission & Vision

SOS Children’s Villages is the world’s largest organization focused on ensuring that children and young people without parental care or at risk of losing it, grow up with the care, relationships and support they need to become their strongest selves.

We support families at risk, prevent the separation of children from their biological parents and care for children who have already lost the protection of their parents. When staying with their family is not in a child or young person’s best interest, we provide them with quality care and support adapted to their unique needs, experiences and culture. We work with communities and partners to ensure that the interests and rights of all children are respected.

Our history

The founder of the SOS Children’s Villages model is the Austrian Hermann Gmeiner. Together with Maria Hofer, Josef Jestl, Ludwig Kögel, Herbert Pfanner and Hedwig Weingartner, he decided to make a difference in the post-World War II era after recognizing a problem: thousands of children had lost their families. Under their guidance, the organization and its many volunteers pioneered an innovative model of alternative care that focused on providing children with reliable, family-like relationships that created security and a real place of belonging

In 1949, it was founded the first SOS Children’s Village in Imst, Austria. In the 1960s, the SOS model spread beyond the borders of Europe and the organization grew quickly, becoming the Global Federation of SOS Children’s Villages International in 1964.

Today, the Federation comprises more than 130 national SOS Children’s Villages national associations. As members of the federation, each SOS Children’s Villages association – including SOS Children’s Villages in Albania – is committed to applying the federation’s statutes, standards for quality childcare, and stringent financial and administrative practices.

Our vision

Within a family each child is protected and enjoys a sense of belonging. In a family, children learn values, share responsibilities and form life-long relationships. Through love and acceptance, emotional wounds are healed, and confidence is built.

What truly matters is that children and young people have a sense of belonging, of being surrounded and supported by individuals who care for them, whom they can rely on and trust, who believe in them, and who are available when they need someone the most. A nurturing and trustworthy relationship is the cornerstone of the kind of family environment we envision for every child and young person.

Our mission

We build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures, and we share in the development of their communities

We are here for children and young people no matter their background, experience, culture, heritage, religion, sexual orientation, political alignment, gender, disability or origin.

They are our priority, and we do whatever it takes to ensure that they grow up empowered with trust and a feeling of belonging.

Every child belongs to a family and grows up in an environment of love, respect and security.

Our values

These enduring values guide our actions, decisions and relationships as we work towards fulfilling our mission.

COURAGE: We take action

COMMITMENT: We keep our promises

TRUST: We believe in each other

ACCOUNTABILITY: We are reliable partners

Our approach

Our approach is centered on the understanding that each child and young person is unique – they have unique needs and experiences, and they possess an individual potential for impacting the world. That is why our broad range of programs and services are designed to adapt to different individuals, cultures, and contexts.

We believe that our vision of breaking the cycle of child neglect, abuse, and abandonment can only be achieved through collaboration.

To that end, we regularly partner with corporations, governments, institutions, and individuals in all corners of the globe – sometimes for fundraising, other times for joint projects – but always with a strong mutual commitment to making a difference for children and young people in our target group.