SOS Children's Villages History
SOS Children's Villages Zambia has been actively supporting children, young people, and families since 1996. The organization established its first village in Lusaka in 1999, about six kilometers outside the city center along the Great North Road, on a 16-hectare plot donated by the Zambian government. The village was officially opened on 3rd November 2000 by President Frederick Chiluba. It comprises 15 family houses, accommodating up to 180 children, along with an administrative building, a multipurpose hall, and an SOS Kindergarten that caters to both SOS children and those from the local community.
In Kitwe, the organization expanded its efforts in 2003 by establishing another SOS Children's Village in the Copperbelt Province. This village consists of 16 family houses, each providing a home for up to 192 children. It also includes an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School, offering primary education to 700 students, an SOS Kindergarten, and an SOS Medical Centre that provides healthcare services to around 10,000 families annually. The village plays a crucial role in offering education, healthcare, and stable homes to orphaned and vulnerable children in the region.
SOS Children's Villages further expanded to Livingstone in 2008, in Southern Province, near the borders with Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. This location focuses on family strengthening programs, helping over 510 families stay together while ensuring access to education and healthcare for more than 3,000 children and adults. The village also provides long-term care for approximately 140 orphaned and vulnerable children, ensuring they grow up in a stable and loving environment.
In 2011, the organization extended its reach to Chipata, the capital of Eastern Province. The SOS Children's Village in Chipata consists of 13 family houses, each overseen by an SOS mother, caring for 140 children. In addition to providing residential care, the village runs family strengthening programs aimed at preventing child abandonment by offering social support to vulnerable families in the community.
Through its villages in Lusaka, Kitwe, Livingstone, and Chipata, SOS Children's Villages Zambia continues to make a lasting impact by providing stable homes, education, healthcare, and social support to thousands of children and families in need.
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