More than 1,000 children live in the 30 large family houses of SOS Children's Village Tibetan Homes Mussoorie. Unlike other large Tibetan SOS Children's Villages, this one does not have a central kitchen where the meals for all the families are prepared, so the SOS mothers have to prepare the meals for their families themselves.
The project includes an SOS Kindergarten and an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School, both of which are attended by children from the neighbourhood, too. In addition to conventional classes, there is a separate class for children with special needs, who are looked after by two teachers and a nurse. Tibetan youngsters who did not get any education at home and are now too old to attend a conventional school are offered training courses for young adults. Medical treatment is provided by the staff of the SOS clinic and the dental surgery. A large SOS Vocational Training Centre for dressmaking, arts and handicrafts has been set up. It consists of four classrooms and several workshops.
In 1990, the SOS Youth House for boys was inaugurated, and 1995 saw the opening of an SOS Youth House for girls. Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Facility when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.