FAQs
1. How much of my child sponsorship contribution goes to my child or village?
We are proud of how we put your funds to work! At SOS Children’s Villages we know our donors expect us to use their child sponsorship donations wisely. That’s why we want you to know that 80% of your child sponsorship gift directly benefits your sponsored child or village and lets us share progress reports with you and 5% is sent to support programs that are in critical need. 15% of your child sponsorship gift supports the operations of SOS Children’s Villages and program management. 100% of special gifts (gifts you make for a specific occasion in your sponsored child’s life) are deposited into your child’s bank account to be used later in life, or in the case of a special gift to a village, are used for village activities.
2. Which children are eligible for admission to an SOS Children's Village?
SOS Children's Villages worldwide admit children who have either lost one parent or both or whose parents cannot provide for them any longer for various reasons; most SOS children belong to the latter category.
3. Who decides whether a child is admitted or not?
The SOS Children's Village association of the respective country defines the criteria of admittance within the scope of the guidelines set up by SOS Children's Villages International and according to the economic and social situation within that country.
The decision whether to admit a child is then made by a chosen committee in co-operation with the authorities. This committee decides whether a child is physically and mentally fit to be admitted to one of our villages and whether the child is in need of a permanent home.
The child admission process ensures a careful and professional assessment of each child before placement in an SOS Children's Village family. This ensures that children who can most benefit from an SOS Village are admitted.
Priority is as follows:
- Orphans of both parents.
- Children with only one parent: a) children without mother, b) children without father.
- Children whose parents cannot provide for them.
- Siblings have priority in every case.
4. How many children does one SOS Children's Village family have?
The families in industrialized nations are usually smaller than those in developing countries. A typical SOS Children's Village family in an industrialized country consists of three to six children, while families in developing countries usually have seven to ten children.
Contrary to many state-run children's homes, SOS Children's Villages does not separate siblings. That is why some families may have more children.
5. According to which care concept are the children brought up?
There is one care concept applied at SOS Children's Villages facilities all over the world: the SOS family child care model, with all children receiving education. These goals depend on the child's age when admitted to the Village.
The SOS "four principles" - the SOS mother, the sisters and brothers, the family house and the SOS Children's Village - form the basis and foundation for our work at the SOS Children's Villages. The foremost of these principles is the mother, or mother-centered care.
In addition, the children's upbringing depends upon their cultural and ethnic background, their religion, values and habits and the people involved in their education.
6. According to which religion are the children brought up?
Each child is brought up according to the belief (s)he has taken over from her/his parents. If the parents' faith is not known, the child is brought up according to the religion which is most common in the particular culture. In SOS Children's Villages, different faiths are represented.
7. What are the criteria for the selection of SOS mothers?
Age: between 24 and 40 years
Education: if possible nine years of compulsory education; in countries where this standard is not generally attained by women, each SOS Children's Village ensures that future mothers are provided with basic education (literacy) during the special training they receive in preparation for their role as an SOS Mother.
Marital status: single, widowed, separated or divorced (in some regions, women must not have children of their own).
State of health: in good physical and mental health.
Aptitude for this kind of work and for success in life (independent, practical, patient, optimistic, willing to learn, self-assured and self-confident, cheerful, good at housekeeping, resilient and able to cope with strain, capable of relating to others well, demonstrating potential for further responsibility).
Willingness to deal with difficult children in a loving and supporting way, and assume responsibility; readiness to be there for the children practically around the clock for a long time.
8. What kind of training do SOS mothers receive?
Each SOS Children's Village association has the duty to provide theoretical and practical training for prospective SOS mothers in order to prepare them for their child sponsorship job. In Lebanon the training program lasts 2 years with subsequent refresher and reflection courses (every other year at the minimum).
9. Can I adopt a child from SOS Children's Villages?
No, adoption is not our mission. We do not give children for adoption. Once a child arrives at SOS we try to promote the development of a lasting relationship between the SOS mother and the children in her care in the SOS Children’s Village.
10. What rights do I have as a child sponsorship donor to SOS Children's Villages?
SOS Children's Villages respects and adheres to the ethical guidelines set forth by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) (http://www.sos-usa.org/getmedia/d2cf1c79-a73a-4e0a-8638-f303dcfc7234/AFP-Code-of-Ethics.pdf) and follows the donor "Bill of Rights." http://www.sos-usa.org/getmedia/623526a5-4400-4509-82fc-1c20674688f2/Donor_Bill_of_Rights.pdf
11. How do I update my contact information?
Every year we will be asking our donors for their contact information updates. However for urgent updates please call our National Office at: +961 1 499787 – 499 808 or email: soslib@dm.net.lb
Contact us
Lebanese Association of SOS Children's Villages
Monseigneur Chebli Ave. SOS bldg. Jisr El Basha - Sin el Fil
Tel : +961-1- 499 787 or 499 808
General enquiries: soslib@dm.net.lb
Media enquiries: communications.sos@sos.org.lb