SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
On 17 January 1963, the association "SOS Villages d'Enfants Belgique" was established on the initiative of Abbé Froidure, who during a stay in Austria had met Hermann Gmeiner and had become thrilled by the SOS Children's Village idea. Subsequently an SOS Children's Village was constructed in Bande, a small town in the South of Belgium.
Since 1963 the SOS Children's Village Association has been continuously developing its activities in Belgium, lateron started to support also SOS Children's Villages projects in developing countries. In 1996, with the support of the Nassogne community, an SOS Day Care Centre was established in the SOS Children's Village in Bande.
In order to answer the needs also in the Flemish-speaking part of Belgium, a short-term programme (“Simba house”) was opened in 2009 in Liedekerke. The Simba project is a small scale project of shelter for children and guidance for parents from families who are facing vulnerable situations.
Children who find themselves in a problematic upbringing (mishandled, neglected, mistreated) are taken up by the Simba house in accordance with the Committee of Youth care. The children receive individual assistence. Their daily life is nothing different from a child’s usual lifestyle; going to school, eating, bathing, playing and watching TV. It is all kept as family-like as possible.
Alongside, the parents get intensive parenting guidance. All the circumstances (financial and family situations, school and other relevant important aspects that can affect the parenting) are addressed. Together a solution is sought to change the circumstances into positive outcomes and to mend relations. This is to ensure that the children can return as soon as possible to a safe household and family.
In the year 2000, due to the changed legal situation in Belgium it became necessary to restructure the association. This resulted in the founding of the association "SOS Villages d’Enfants Belgique aide le monde", which since then has taken over the support for SOS Children's Village projects in developing countries. At present this association is supporting the development of an SOS Training Centre in Kigali, Rwanda, and an SOS Children's Village at Hyderabad in India. The already existing association "SOS Villages d’Enfants Belgique", on the other hand, is in charge of further developing the activities of SOS Children's Villages within Belgium.
At the moment there are one SOS Children's Village, two youth facilities and two SOS Social Centres in Belgium.
Website of SOS Children's Villages Belgium
(available in French and Dutch)