We recently have started working for SOS Children’s village and visited their facility in Faridabad, one of the five towns in Delhi-NCR.

 

What we witnessed there is far from the usual p[icture one carries in his mind about child care institutions. The assumption that most children who live in any such facility are probably psychologically harmed or impaired to say the least. But very soon we all realized that at SOS, things were quite different.

 

The concept of the SOS is based on four principles – the mother, brothers and sisters, the house, and the village. SOS believes that each child should have a caring parent who would provide security and love to the child and bring stability to his world.  Girls and boys of different age groups live together under one roof as brothers and sisters, and family ties develop naturally. Each family lives in its own home, in which the children enjoy a warm sense of security and belonging. Families stay together forming a village kind of community. The SOS children regularly go out to study, and to pursue other academic and extra-cirricular interests and therefore, they go on to become a part of the larger community outside.

 

At SOS, we were introduced with the history and concept of SOS by their programme director, Mr. Sarma and his associate Ms. Maalika. They also showed us the houses where SOS Families reside. We visited several houses, intereacted with the SOS mothers and the kids under their care. The homely atmosphere was definitely inspiring.

 

This visit made a perfect backdrop for the assignment that we are undertaking for SOS wherein, we have to write the annual update letters to the sponsors on the progress of the individual children whom they have sponsored. It is an important part of the community outreach programme of SOS and helps them keep their sponsors engaged.

 

We have a team of 7 writers and 2 editors working on this assignment, who are writing 50+ personalised child progress letters every day.