SOS Children's Villages International

Up until a year ago, SOS Children's Villages Palestine run over a hundred small income-generating projects in Gaza to support the most vulnerable families. They all had to end when the war started and the families were forced into displacement. 'Most of them now live in tents made of worn-out fabrics gathered around sticks. Places not suitable for decent human life,' said our humanitarian worker after visiting the families. In this catastrophic situation, the team on the ground is there for children and families lacking basic necessities. But the estimated 1.9 million people internally displaced in Gaza immediately need a lasting ceasefire and increased flow of aid. #CeasefireNOW

'What if the fighting never stops and we can't return to our lives?' Amina is among the estimated 5 million children in #Sudan forced to leave everything behind and flee their homes. She has been away from everything she knows for almost 18 months. 📢 The lives and futures of children in the world's largest child displacement crisis should be everyone's priority.

'Although you see that I am small, my way of thinking is big, creative, different,' reads a message from children in one of the 'Together' workshops. ⏰ Don't miss the opportunity to take part in the youth-led final event of our project dedicated to #childparticipation in public decision-making. Register now for the two sessions on 9 and 16 October: https://lnkd.in/dW_DZDwv

Children in #Lebanon are losing their lives, family members, homes, and the sense of security they so desperately need. We call on all parties to the conflict to respect International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Laws, especially those relevant to children. The violence must end, and civilians, especially children, must be protected. Our full statement: https://lnkd.in/dyjAQgjn 📷 AFP

🌍 On Tuesday in Brussels, the final conference of the #WellU project brought together all the participating organizations. Funded by the European Commission’s European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) under the #EU4Health program, the project aims to empower forcibly displaced people by providing #mentalhealth and psychosocial support (#MHPSS) training to non-specialist workers, such as educators, cultural mediators, healthcare and social workers, staff at reception centers, and the displaced people themselves. With a special focus on displaced children and caregivers affected by the war in Ukraine, the project has been implemented in Italy, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, and Poland. Learn more about #WellU here: https://lnkd.in/dqsGeniv

The Family Strengthening Program team in the Gaza Strip is conducting field visits to families participating in the program for the first time since the families were displaced to the safe zone in Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. The SOS Palestine Social Worker in the program says about the visits: "The families are living in very harsh living conditions after their displacement from Gaza city, the North of Gaza and Rafah. Today we visited 18 families out of 150 displaced families. Most of these families live in places that looks like tents and is not suitable for human life. The tent is made up of some worn-out fabrics gathered around a group of sticks to form something like a tent that does not protect from the heat of summer or the cold of winter." 

Our family strengthening programme participants and staff are among the estimated 90,000 people that have been displaced in #Lebanon since Monday. SOS Children's Villages Lebanon reports that none of the children in its care has been physically harmed in the recent attacks. The team on the ground is doing everything possible to keep them and their caregivers safe in the face of escalating violence. 'No place in Lebanon feels secure anymore,' says Ghada Hachem, director of SOS Children's Villages in Lebanon. 'Both adults and children are living in constant fear of bombs. We are truly concerned for the safety, education, and overall well-being of all children of Lebanon. Their childhoods are at risk, and we will do everything in our power to keep them safe and supported during this challenging time.' 📷 Relocation of the SOS Children's Village Ksarnaba, August 2024

'Let's not forget that behind the statistics there are real children and young people, each with their own struggles and dreams. We need policies and support systems that allow them to feel seen, understood, and cared for,' said Gatwech, youth advocate from South Sudan, during the policy roundtable on #mentalhealth and psychological support (#MHPSS) for children and young people organizer by our EU advocacy experts in Brussels. Youth advocates met with policy makers and civil society representatives to exchange on how to better support children and young people at risk of developing mental health problems, including those in precarious socio-economic living conditions and in alternative care. This discussion was co-hosted by European Parliament Member Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová and included interventions by key speakers such as Marta Kuljon from the European Commission, Caroline Bollars from the World Health Organization Office at the EU as well as Orso Muneghina from SOS Children’s Villages' Global Programme Expert Group on MHPSS. 'Mental health has increasingly been highlighted as a priority issue by young people. We must ensure a collaborative approach in which all actors - including children - work together on an equal basis to address it,' said Fatima Awil of Mental Health Europe during the child and youth panel she moderated.

Children, especially those growing up alone, in families at risk of breakdown or disadvantaged communities, are especially affected by socio-economic insecurity and humanitarian emergencies, including those caused by the climate crisis. Yet, 76% of the world's children lack effective social protection. In the 20 countries most vulnerable to the climate crisis, over 90% of people lack any coverage at all.    Integrated social and child protection systems can shield children from the impacts of overlapping global crises and strengthen families, supporting our societies' transition to a sustainable future.    💡 Read International Labour Organization's new World Social Protection Report to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dXkXBxzA

📢 Join the discussion to strengthen families and protect children! We’re excited to invite you to an online event bringing together state and non-state actors, researchers, policymakers, decision-makers, and care practitioners to share new insights and learnings on the systems and interventions needed to strengthen families, provide adequate care for children, and prevent family separation. You will: 💡 Hear about the latest research featured in the upcoming Global Report on Children’s Care and Protection 2024. 💡 Learn about recommendations on effective family strengthening policies, strategies, and systems. 💡 Gain insights into promising practices that can make a difference. Be part of the conversation and find out how you can contribute to empowering families and protecting children! 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/d9sAUVY4 This conference follows the launch of our Global Report on Children’s Care and Protection 2024 on the International Day of Care and Support - 29 October 2024.