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Contact information
SOS Children's Village Association of Estonia
National Office
Postal address:
Pärnu mnt. 130-30, Tallinn
Estonia, 11317
tel. (+372) 656 6958
fax (+372) 6566 600
http://www.sos-lastekyla.ee/eng/
Contact persons:
Secretary/ International sponsorship coordinator Hanna Uustal
National Director Margus Oro
Fundraising Anne-Mai Kaarma
Family Strengthening Advisor Kalle Laane
Pedagogical adviser Mirjam Hakkaja
Chief Accountant Kristi Siibak
National advocacy officer Merike Kaev
SOS Children's Villages International Organisation: http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org
Every child belongs to a family - What SOS Children’s Villages stands for
Ever since it was founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949, "SOS Children’s Villages" has provided a new home for children who have been unable to grow up with their parents. "SOS Children’s Villages’" mission has four main cornerstones: every child needs a mother and should grow up with siblings in his or her own house within a village community.
Today there are over 450 SOS Children’s Villages around the world. Other facilities such as day-care centers, schools, training workshops and medical and social centers have been added gradually. At the moment there are around 1,350 such institutions that are open to the people of the neighboring communities.
The mother in an SOS Children’s Village is the head of the family, like many mothers are on every continent. She develops a close relationship with every one of her children. Siblings are always kept together and the family origins, cultural roots and religious affiliations of every child are taken into consideration. 
SOS Children's Villages is an international social develop-ment organisation. Abandoned children requiring care and support and disadvantaged families are the focus of our work. SOS Children’s Villages and youth facilities are now home to over 60 000 children and adolescents on all continents worldwide in more than 130 countries.
Millions of children worldwide live apart from their biological families for a variety of reasons, including parental separation, family violence and neglect, and social and economical need; or because they have lost their parents due to war, natural catastrophes or disease - including AIDS. Children without a family network are not only emotionally traumatised, but are also in danger of being isolated, abused, exploited and deprived of their rights.
We offer an innovative alternative to foster care by providing children with safe, permanent family-home with SOS-mother and siblings. In our Children’s Village, children have the opportunity to live together in one family with their biological sisters and brothers and keep in touch with their biological parents.
SOS Children’s Village Estonia was founded in 1995 and its activities are based on government support and donations from individuals and organisations.
SOS Children’s Village Estonia co-ordinates work in:
1) Keila SOS Children’s Village (60 children),
2) Keila SOS H. Gmeiner Kindergarden and Elementary School (both for SOS kids and neighbourhood kids - 90 children)
3) SOS Youth Facility in Tallinn (10 children)
4) SOS Youth Facility in Keila (15 children)
5) Family Strengthening programme in Estonia (400-500 children)
Children in Keila SOS Children's Village live in families. We have 12 family houses where children live with their SOS mothers. In every family there are 5-7 kids. Biological siblings grow up together. Children are from different age, smallest one today is 2 years old and oldest one 20 years old.
