The secret to a happy child

“In adult life we reveal how we fared in childhood.  The quality of childhood is critical – as a help or hindrance in later life.”

Parents are the pillars of the family and the foundation of our communities and societies. They provide a sense of structure and solace that frame the childhood experience, and support the development of successful, happy adult lives.

This reality is felt strongly at SOS Children’s Villages, where we strive to provide the most disadvantaged children with a significant (second) chance for a happy childhood, shaped by positive experiences. 

Our priority is to help parents care for their children. When a child can remain in his or her current family, SOS Children's Villages works directly with families to help them effectively protect and care for their children through our Family Strengthening Programs.  

Belinda says it best..

To Belinda, a 12-year-old girl living with her mother, Jane, and her five brothers and sisters in a slum on the outskirts of Nairobi, her mother’s kiss is everything. “My special moments with my mum are really special,” she says. “When she gives me a kiss before I go to school and holds my hands, I feel good. It makes my whole day happy when I think about it all the way to school. That kiss makes me feel safe and makes me realize that she really cares for me. I cannot go to school unless she gives me a kiss. I feel there would be something missing.”

Belinda’s mother joined SOS Children's Villages Family Strengthening Program in 2004, after her health deteriorated from serious liver disease. SOS Children’s Villages took her to the hospital, where she received treatment. Jane had access to the medicines she needed, and the family received a food package every two months. Belinda is supported with a school uniform, and she, along with her brothers and sisters, receives psycho-social care twice a month.