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SOS mothers - caring for orphaned children

July 6, 2007

An SOS mother is a child’s sponsor, primary caretaker, protector, and loving home provider. She is furthermore a graduate of an extensive training program with SOS Children’s Villages. Within her safe loving home that she provides, she seeks to create strong and dependable relationships with all her sponsored children. This relationship calls for a co-dependent effort of both the children and their SOS mother to organize their daily lives. She is supported by the help of her educational colleagues and “aunties” (who are still training to become SOS mothers). Her family follows the SOS Children’s Village family-based child care model of four basic principles: mother, brothers and sisters, house, and village.

SPOTLIGHT: AN SOS MOTHER

Janine, a former teacher with a strong passion of working with children; became an SOS mother with SOS Children’s Village in Ennerdale, South Africa just over four years ago. Prior to the sponsorship of her ten SOS children who range in age from five to fifteen years old, Janine experienced a tragic loss within her family: the loss of her own son. She describes the loss as “the anchor in her life”. As a result of her grief, Janine alienated herself from everyone and everything she knew, and lived alone.

It wasn’t until she was introduced to SOS Children’s Village in Ennerdale, that Janine channeled her short-cut love for her own son to the orphaned children at SOS Children’s village and became an SOS mother. As she describes the relationship she has with her sponsored children Janine says [that], the children have helped me to overcome my sadness and have filled the emptiness in my life. I now have a home and a family of ten children. As much as I have helped them they have also helped me. We are now a family that have grown in love, respect and have found security in each other.

Topics: Africa |