About us

SOS Children's Villages in Syria is a nonprofit and nongovernmental, independent, social development association. The Association is committed to helping orphans and children without parental care who had lost their homes, their security and their families because of different circumstances, respecting varying religions and cultures, working in communities where our mission can contribute to their development and working as well in the spirit of the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child, advocating and promoting such rights in the Syrian Arab Republic.

SOS Children's Villages in Syria was founded in 1975 and registered in the Syrian Ministry of Social Affairs under No. 1002. The first village in Syria was opened in 1981 and continues to provide safe homes for children in need under the principle of long term child care. SOS has adopted the slogan "a loving home for every child" to continue to be pioneers in child care in Syria and the world. Whereas, SOS Children's Villages in Syria is a branch of the International Federation of Children's Villages, based in Austria, and spread out in 136 countries around the world.

Our Roots

The first SOS Children’s Village was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Imst, Austria. He was committed to helping children in need – children who had lost their homes, their security and their families as a result of the Second World War. With the support of many donors and co-workers, our organization has grown to help children all over the world.

We take action for children as an independent nongovernmental social development organization. We respect varying religions and cultures, and we work in countries and communities where our mission can contribute to development. We work in the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and we promote these rights around the world.