SOS Children’s Villages
The following is pulled from SOS Children's Villages website:
"Colombia is a country of stark contrasts. A picturesque country, rich in natural resources and with a highly qualified labour force, it has been described as one of the most attractive, exotic and mysterious countries in South America.
Yet the beauty of the Andes Mountains, the Amazon rainforest and the stunning coastline stand in direct opposition to extreme deprivation, where an estimated 70% of families live in extreme poverty, and where violence and corruption permeates the country. The well-documented drug problems, decades of violent conflict, civil war and human rights violations have all taken their toll on Colombia, and on Colombia's children in particular.
We found the SOS Children's Village in Bogota to be a refuge for children like this little girl
There are currently five SOS Children's Villages in Colombia, one of which is in the country's capital city, Bogotá. With facilities including 22 family houses, a community house and a carpenter's workshop, SOS Bogotá is the second largest SOS Village in Latin America and was Colombia's first SOS Village, opening in 1971. Alongside their academic work children are also able to benefit from learning practical skills and are taught handicrafts in the village's workshops."
SOS Children's Villages are orphanages run as national associations that are registered and organised as a foundation and non-profit company or society. They're not church organizations. Christadelphian Meal-a-Day Fund of the Americas is always looking for worthwhile projects to support, so while we were in Bogota we stopped by the Children's Village there. We were very impressed by what we saw.
This little boy and girl lost their parents during a F.A.R.C. action on the edge of Colombia. (The F.A.R.C. is a revolutionary group that has been trying to overthrow the Colombian government for the last forty years.) They were campasinos...farmers. Now they are growing up in the loving care of the SOS Children's Village.
Our visit illustrated to us why it's so important for us to come see first hand the charities and projects we're supporting. Last year we visited a very well known project named Ninos de los Andes and weren't impressed by what we saw. Consequently we decided not to get involved with the organization. What once had been a premier Colombian agency to help street kids had turned into a rather cold and institutional operation.
Whether or not we'll be able to help SOS Children's Villages (we'd like to!) depends on how much support Christadelphian Meal-a-Day Fund of the Americas gets...from you!
Tomorrow it's planes, 4x4's and boats (sorry, that didn't rhyme) as we fly down to Rurrenabaque, then drive and boat to Tumapasa to check out an electrification project we funded.
September 27th, 2009 - 08:30
We were honoured to have you stay under our roof. We send you on and
on to your coming missions under girded by our daily prayers.
September 27th, 2009 - 09:11
We applaud your support for “SOS Children`s Villages”. We believe they are overall the best orphanages in existence (and now they are the world`s largest private carers for orphans).
Our oldest living relative, Countess D`Amecourt (Gertrude Zinner) grew up with Herman Gmeiner in Austria, and went on to Chair many of his first fundraisers. Indeed, our original NGO, “Agenda SOS” opened in the `70s in part to help support Herman’s orphanages. More and more prayers for your work.
September 30th, 2009 - 15:01
I am so moved by the kindness and dedication of others to help people in need. Your videos really bring it all home.
Thanks for all of your work in bringing to light agency’s we can feel good about funding.
October 1st, 2009 - 21:15
Thanks for sharing this with us.