A woman sewing outside of a shop -- a street scene in Kathmandu, Nepal…

  A local man making bricks near Kavre, Nepal  

SOS Children's Village Kavre

  In 1968, the founder of the SOS Children's Village organization, went to Nepal and met several leading social workers and public figures of the country. At that time, the only NGO active in the country was the Nepal Red Cross Society, which was then chaired by the late Princess Princep Shah. She was very impressed with the idea of SOS Children's Villages and founded the organization SOS Children's Villages in Nepal. During next visit in 1970, a site for the first SOS Children's Village at Sanothimi was selected. The piece of land was donated by the country's government. In November 1973, the first Nepalese SOS Children's Village was inaugurated in Sanothimi. Over the years, several SOS Children's Villages and ancillary facilities, such as SOS Schools, SOS Social Centres and SOS Vocational Training Centres have been erected all over the country. With their family strengthening programmes, they are a great help to the local population and reduce poverty, unemployment and illiteracy. Apart from that, the SOS Children's Villages contribute a lot towards the improvement of the infrastructure in their vicinity.  

The seventh SOS Children's Village in Nepal is situated in Kavre, near the small towns of Panauti and Banepa, about 40 km east of the capital Kathmandu. The district is called Kavre. The main reason for the establishment of this SOS Children's Village was the need of more family-based care in the region of Kathmandu. SOS Children's Village Sanothimi was not big enough to admit all the children in need. SOS Children's Village Kavre is situated in a rather rural area, but in Banepa there are schools, colleges, hospitals and supermarkets. It is not far from Kathmandu University as well.

SOS Children's Village Kavre started its operation in November 1997; it was officially opened in 1999 in the presence of the late king Birendra and Mr Helmut Kutin, the president of SOS-Kinderdorf International. It consists of 14 family houses, which can accommodate up to 140 children, the village director's house, and the necessary administrative buildings. There is also an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School including primary and secondary school and an SOS Kindergarten. These facilities are open to children from the neighbourhood as well, and there is a big demand because of the good reputation of the school. In addition to the twelve classrooms, the school has two laboratories, a computer lab and a library. SOS Children's Village Kavre draws its water from its own natural spring. In 2003, an SOS Vocational Training Centre was established in Kavre. Future SOS mothers and other staff receive their first training there. The SOS Social Centre in Kavre organizes different support programs in order to strengthen local families.

In 2008, an SOS Youth Facility for 18 boys was constructed. Young people often move out of the village and into a 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.

SOS Children's Village Kavre P.O. Box 504 Banepa, Kavre Nepal Correspondence language: English