SOS Children’s Village Bhubaneswar celebrates 25 Years of Existence
Bhubaneswar, Nov 26: SOS Children’s Village, a global NGO working actively in providing secure and loving homes to parentless and abandoned children, completed a milestone of 25 years of its Bhubaneswar Project. The NGO celebrated this landmark with colorful performances by SOS children. The graceful ceremony was held in the presence of Odisha Chief Minister Mr.Naveen Pattnaik , Minister Women and Child Development Ms. Usha Devi and Minister of Culture & Tourism, Mr. Ashok Panda.
SOS is the brainchild of Dr. Hermann Gmeiner, an Austrian philanthropist who pioneered the concept of upbringing parentless children not just in regular orphanages, but giving them the quality care of a family including the love of a ‘Mother’ and affection of siblings, living together in a proper home within an organised community village,thus providing them emotional security for a lifetime. For over 50 years in India, SOS Children’s Villages has successfully settled over 4500 children either through marriage or career. At present, more than 6700 children are living in32 SOS Children Villageslocated across 22 states in India.
Speaking on this occasion, Mr. S Sandilya, President, SOS Children’s Village of India said “SOS Children’s Village Bhubaneswar has contributed immensely to the lives of many parentless children over 25 years and brought them up as the responsible citizens of the country. We are grateful to our donors and supporters who have provided unwavering support for SOS children.”
The day’s festivities also witnessed a photo exhibition and sharing of experiences by SOS grandmothers, mothers and youth.
Ms. Anuja Bansal, Secretary General, SOS Children’s Villages of India said, “SOS mothers play a key role in providing children with a sense of belonging and stability of a family life. At SOS Children’s Village Bhubaneswar,mothers have demonstrated responsible personal conduct, family values and self-reliance to the children. This has been exemplified by the children who have grown up to make a name for themselves in fields ranging from aviation to healthcare and education.”
SOS Children’s Villages of India has been accredited with CRISIL Rating of VO-2A indicating the organisation’s‘Strong Delivery Capability and High Financial Proficiency’. With this, SOS becomes the first NGO in India to undergo an evaluation process especially designed for Voluntary Organisations by CRISIL. CRISIL is a credible rating agency which provides an objective and independent third-party opinion. SOS has also been awarded an Accreditation Certificate for ‘Desirable norms’, the highest form of rating by Credibility Alliance for a period of five years from May 2014 to May 2019.