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SOS Children's Villages in Köszeg
Children who have lost parental care find a loving home in one of the 14 SOS families where children can be cared for. Each family is headed by an SOS mother who provides a stable and loving home to the children in her care. The children attend the public kindergarten and local schools, and thus have many friends in the neighbourhood, and become part of the wider community. After school the children attend different clubs where they learn crafts or practise their musical and folk dancing skills. The families often spend the summers relaxing at summer camps. Older children travel to the international SOS summer camp in Caldonazzo in Italy.
As the children grow up and are ready to move out of the SOS families they can move into the SOS Youth Programme in Szombathely, which is the capital of the county. Here they can live while they attend further education, receive training or start their working lives. With the help of professionals the young people are encouraged to develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions.
Vulnerable families are suffering from the recent cuts in public spending
Köszeg is a small rural town with approximately 11,800 inhabitants situated in western Hungary, very close to the border with Austria.
Traditionally, people in the area lived off agriculture and forestry as well as cattle rearing, but these activities decreased in the decades after Hungary became independent from the Soviet Union. At present, wine-making and tourism are the main sources of income and employment. Köszeg is an ancient town which has preserved its historical heritage and this attracts tourists to the area - visitors can also enjoy the nearby nature and health resorts.
Hungary's recent economic crisis has led to a cut in social welfare programmes, and this has affected the lives of many children in the region. Children who are particularly at risk of living in poverty include those living in single-parent families or in households with three or more children. Many of the children from these disadvantaged families drop out of school, thus making it hard for them to make a living in the future.
Children without parental care face discrimination, especially those who grow up in state institutions. At present all young people are struggling to make an independent start in life due to the high unemployment rate and the shortage of affordable housing. However, if they have grown up in a state institution and have not been provided with support, finding their first job and somewhere to live can seem like an overwhelming task to tackle.
Our Impact
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The SOS Children's Village in Hungary provides loving homes to orphaned and abandoned children |
1 VILLAGES | 92 Orphaned and Abandoned Children |
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The SOS Youth Facilities in Hungary provides youth with a loving environment where they learn to transition into independent living and to expand their education |
2 YOUTH FACILITIES | 24 Youths in our Care |
Our Impact