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| All children grow up and start their own lives - But they still visit their Moms |
| Photo: Mr. D. Sansoni |
There comes a time when all SOS children are grown and start their own life. But even then, SOS Children's Villages still consider it wise to continue to provide some kind of after-care. The purpose is to monitor the life of the young adult and, if need be, support them in both word and deed.
The concept of after-care exists in numerous countries. The care of SOS Children's Villages reaches its goal only when the young man or woman is capable of living his or her own life independently, and assume full responsibility for it. This does not imply that there is no more contact with the SOS family. On the contrary, another goal of SOS Children's Villages is that the now SOS adult continues to have a good relationship with their SOS family, even in their independence.
Many former SOS children maintain close contacts with their SOS Children's Villages; returning to visit "their" Village, to see their SOS mother, or simply recall their childhood in the village, and, of course, to show their own children where they grew up.
In some countries, former SOS children meet regularly. There are even associations of former SOS children in some of these countries, for people to come together and stay in touch after leaving SOS villages. Though they likely come from different individual villages, they share a sense of common identity and upbringing. Hermann Gmeiner founded the first club of this kind, the "Club Wir", in 1972.