The Largest Child Welfare
Organization in the World

About SOS Children’s
Villages Kenya

SOS Children's Villages Kenya is a member of SOS - Kinderdorf
International, the largest private child welfare organization in the world.

 

In Kenya, the first SOS Children’s Village in Kenya was opened in 1973 in Nairobi. Additional SOS Children’s Villages were subsequently built in Mombasa (1979), Eldoret (1990), Meru (2005), and the latest village in Kisumu (2012).

SOS children's villages Kenya runs Education, Health, SOS Family Care, Family Strengthening, Advocacy and Youth Empowerment Programmes. We currently take care of over 10,000 children and youth both in our villages and community programmes

SOS Children village is a private, non-profit, non political and non-denominational welfare organization. The goal of SOS Children’s Villages is to offer orphaned and abandoned children, regardless of race, nationality or creed, a permanent home and to prepare them for an independent life. SOS children villages pursue these goals with fully qualified and highly committed staff.

Our Vision

Every child belongs to a family and grows with love, respect and security.

Our Mission

We build families for children in need, we help them shape their own futures and we share in the development of their communities.

SOS History

  • 1970: SOS Children’s Villages Jamaica was founded with the initiative of Dr. Harland Hastings, Mr. John Rollins and Prof.  Heinz Simonitsch.
  • 1971: The first 3 family houses were constructed in Barrett Town, Montego Bay.
  • 1972: On the 26th of November the children’s village at Barrett Town, Montego Bay, had its first registration.
  • 1982: The second children’s village had ground breaking in October in Stony Hill, Kingston.
  • 1984: Between February and October, 8 family houses were occupied in Stony Hill.
  • 1993: In Kingston, the Boys’ Youth Facility opened with 9 occupants.
  • 1995: In September, the Kindergarten in Stony Hill, Kingston, started classes serving the village and the local community.
  • 1996: In Barrett Town, Montego Bay, the academic year began for the new Jane Veira Kindergarten.
  • 1998: Dr. Harland Hastings, co-founder of SOS Children’s Villages Jamaica, passed away
  • 2000: In Montego Bay, a renovated house was opened as a Youth Facility accommodating 10 to 12 boys. Mr. John Rollins, co-founder and Mrs. Doris Hugh, Board Member, passed away.
  • 2002: The new SOS Hermann Gmeiner Prep School began operations with grades one to three.
  • 2003: Official opening of the SOS Hermann Gmeiner school and signing of agreement between SOS-Kinderdorf International and the Government of Jamaica.
  • 2004: First Jamaican appointed as National Director.
  • 2007: Two new family houses and a duplex was constructed at the village in Barrett Town, Montego Bay.
  • 2009: Additional Boys’ Youth Facility opened in Kingston.