Thanks to contributions from state institutions, enterprises and sponsors, the international development NGO SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde was able to fund 32 projects to the benefit of over 34,000 people in 2015.

The news came during a presentation of the association's activities report, detailed by president Marjolijne Frieden and director Sophie Glesener on the occasion of the General Assembly of SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde held on Monday 9 May 2016.

During the presentation, the two officials thanked public and private donors, partners, sponsors and volunteers for their trust and solidarity at a time when they claimed the new and ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are calling for the commitment of all.

€5,679,412 was collected by the organisation through the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, businesses, associations and partner schools as well as numerous contributions through private donors, including SOS sponsors whose contribution amounted to €1,597,273. SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde was therefore able to financially support 32 projects focused on the protection of children for more than 34,000 beneficiaries across 13 countries.

In 2015, the Luxembourg association came to the aid of 21,990 people in Nepal, Syria and Niger. After an earthquake ravaged Nepal, it transferred €100,000 for 4,300 beneficiaries, whilst SOS Villages d'Enfant Nepal opened 25 reception centres to accommodate 2,000 children and is now coordinating a multi-year rehabilitation programme.

Meanwhile, in Syria a five-year-long war has resulted in over 260,000 deaths and millions more forced into dangerous journeys to escape. SOS has therefore helped meet the country's enormous child protection needs by establishing day care and educational support, as well as food distribution and nutritional relief, contributing €499,903 to 10,000 beneficiaries.

A further €175,000 to a project in Diffa, Niger, enabled thousands of refugee children to receive protection, medical care, food aid and be helped in the fight against nutrition.

Changes were made in SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde development programmes over the course of 2015: 19 Family Strengthening Programmes (FRP) for 11,116 young people and their guardians in 9 countries in West Africa (Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal) and Eurasia (Uzbekistan, Russia, Ukraine). The organisation set up an active technical support team in the areas of child protection, economic strengthening and capacity building of community actors, with the objective of better responding to cases of abuse, violence, exploitation and child neglect.

Another of the association's components, the SOS Villages d'Enfants, supported 648 children who had been orphaned, abandoned or separated from their families within 6 Villages in the three countries of Uzbekistan, Panama and Sierra Leone. Furthermore, the Luxembourg association financed four education and training programmes to benefit 776 individuals in Niger, Uzbekistan, Senegal and Sierra Leone in a step towards defending quality education for all and lifelong learning.

In 2015, the Children's Right department of SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde participated in activities with the "Education, a Challenge for All!" consortium and the Cinéma du Sud festival; expanded the "Child Rights" teaching kit; and organised a meeting comprised of a film an discussion for 180 students as part of Children's Rights Day.

 

Photo by SOS Villages d'Enfants Monde