CFL Locomotive Gets New Look for SOSVEM 50th Anniversary

Luxembourg's railway company, the CFL, has announced the launch of a solidarity action to mark the 50th anniversary of SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde (SOSVEM).

To raise awareness of the needs of the world's most vulnerable children, a locomotive in the colours of the Luxembourg non-profit organisation will travel the country throughout the month of June before a summer poster campaign launches at Luxembourg Railway Station.

On Monday 27 May 2024, a large SOSVEM visual was installed on a locomotive in the CFL workshops in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie for the official kick-off of the solidarity action. Gathered for the occasion were Jeannot Waringo, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CFL Group, Marc Hoffmann, Director of Travel Activities, and Sophie Glesener, Director of SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde.

The representative of the non-profit thanked the CFL for this anniversary action which is reminiscent of the "Together 4 Families!" (2012) and "Learn 4 Life!" (2013) campaigns of which the CFL were already partners.

The CFL recalled that supporting associations that take care of the most disadvantaged people forms part of its social commitment. As such, last autumn, a locomotive in the colours of Médecins du Monde supported the work of this charitable association.

"As a socially responsible company, it is important to us to show solidarity in our daily behaviour," emphasised Jeannot Waringo and Marc Hoffmann on Monday. "The message conveyed by the locomotive for an entire month should raise awareness among citizens of the often tragic fates of children throughout the world."

Through their joint solidarity action, the CFL and SOSVEM are also highlighting a new educational project in Colombia. Continuing the commitment of the Luxembourg non-profit for Venezuelan migrant children, SOSVEM intends to respond to the protection and educational needs of these children who have had little access to formal education until now. In the La Guajira region, on the border with Venezuela, the non-profit is supporting the construction of a new child-friendly space to contribute to the protection and emotional well-being of children and prevent the separation of families. School and fun activities will be offered, as well as skills building, and parents will be made aware of child protection (50 children and 25 adults involved).

The project will be particularly highlighted on Thursday 20 June 2024 during World Refugee Day. Year after year, the number of refugees and internally displaced people continues to grow, noted the CFL: by mid-2023, there were more than 110 million forcibly displaced people around the world (according to the UNHCR 2023 mid-year trends report), including some 50 million children.

The CFL also recalled that SOSVEM has been working in Luxembourg for 50 years now to ensure better lives for children and young people within their families and communities. For years, it has also been trying, with the world federation and its local SOS partners, to respond to numerous refugee crises by accompanying uprooted children and young people, refugees, migrants or internally displaced people through emergency aid programmes set up around the world.