The Secret to a Happy Child
“In adult life we reveal how we fared in childhood. The quality of childhood is critical – as a help or hindrance in later life.” - Helmut Kutin, Honorary President of SOS Children's Villages International
Parents are the pillars of the family and the foundation of our communities and societies. They provide a sense of structure and solace that frame the childhood experience, and support the development of successful, happy adult lives.
This reality is felt strongly at SOS Children’s Villages, where we strive to provide the most disadvantaged children with a significant (second) chance for a happy childhood, shaped by positive experiences.
Our priority is to help parents care for their children. When there is a possibility for a child to remain in his or her current family, SOS Children's Villages work directly with families to help them to effectively protect and care for their children, through our Family Strengthening Programs (FSPs).
Belinda says it best..
A 12-year-old girl, living with her mother Jane and her five brothers and sisters in City Carton, an old slum in the outskirts of Nairobi; to Belinda, her mothers’ kiss is everything. “My special moments with my mum are really special,” she says. “When she gives me a kiss before I go to school and holds my hands I feel good. It makes my whole day happy when I think about it all the way to school. That kiss makes me feel safe and makes me realize that she really cares for me. I cannot go to school if she doesn’t give me a kiss. I feel there would be something missing.”
Belinda’s mother Jane became one of the FSP beneficiaries in 2004, when she suffered from a serious liver problem. SOS Children’s Villages took her to hospital where she received treatment. Her heart condition is still weak, so SOS Children’s Villages provides medicines and gives the family a food package every two months. Belinda is supported with a school uniform and she, along with her brothers and sisters, is offered psycho-social assistance twice a month.