Poland - Overview 

Capital: Warsaw
Area: 312,680 km²
Population: 38.7 million (December 2000 est.)
Ethnic groups: 98% Polish, Ukrainian and Belorussian minorities
Official language(s): Polish
Religion(s): Roman Catholic 95%
Currency: 1 zloty = 100 groszy

SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country

The SOS Children's Village work in Poland started in 1977 when Hermann Gmeiner first contacted the Polish government. His idea was of particular interest to a group of people in Bilgoraj. Shortly afterwards it was possible to start construction on the first SOS Children's Village in Bilgoraj, which was ready by August 1983.

By September 1991 other orphaned and abandoned children were able to move into the second SOS Children's Village in Krasnik. It was only after the political changes of 1991 that the Polish SOS Children's Village Association was founded. One year later the first SOS Youth Facility was set up in Lublin. It was later enlarged because it was in such demand. Consequently, a youth house and a youth centre were built in 1997. The third SOS Children's Village was completed and went into operation in Siedlce in 1998. Because more and more youths were growing up in SOS Children's Village Krasnik, flats were bought in the town in the spring of 2001 and afterwards renovated to be used as an SOS Youth Facility. A transit home was set up in one of the family houses in SOS Children's Village Bilgoraj. It is called "Winnie-the-Pooh" and is for orphans or children whose parents are no longer able to look after them. They are able to stay here until the authorities have decided where they are to be accommodated and cared for. Another transit home was realized in Ustron.

In spring 2004 SOS Children’s Villages Poland started to operate the Family Strengthening Programme “Haven” in Lublin, which enables children who are at risk of losing the care of their family to grow within a caring family environment. To achieve this, SOS Children’s Villages Poland works directly with families and communities to empower them to effectively protect and care for their children, in cooperation with local authorities and other service providers.

The construction of the fourth SOS Children's Village started in summer 2004 in Karlino. This town is situated in the northwest of Poland and suffers from great poverty due to a high unemployment rate. Therefore, many children are at risk of being abandoned, which gave reason for setting up a long-term family based care. The SOS Children’s Village Karlino went into operation in August 2005.
As numerous children living in the Children’s Village Karlino had become youths, a Youth Facility was started in Koszalin, a town situated at a distance of almost 30km from Karlino. This location was chosen in order to provide youths with better opportunities in terms of education and labour market.

The SOS Children’s Village Siedlce was enlarged by an SOS Youth Facility end of 2006. In the year 2007 the popular “playbus” was introduced in Poland. The aim of this project located in Warsaw was to enable children to enjoy childhood and gain self-esteem and social skills through playing. The service was offered in public parks, schools, hospitals, etc.
After a careful need assessment and feasibility study it was decided to relocate the project (playbus) to Siedlce and shift the project objectives towards family strengthening activities, which finally started in September 2010.

In March 2009, further family strengthening activities started in Bilgoraj, moreover, three day care centres and a counselling centre.

At present there are four SOS Children's Villages in Poland, four SOS Youth Facilities, twelve SOS Social Centres (two of them are transit homes for short term placement, ten programs concentrate on Family Strengthening) and three SOS Kindergartens.

Website of SOS Children's Villages Poland
(available in Polish)