Visit to SOS Children’s Village, Jaipur

Date: 11 August,2015

Name of the organisation: SOS Children’s Village, Jaipur

The students of M.Sc Human Development, III semester visited the SOS children’s Villege, Jaipur, located in Shashtri Nagar, Opposite petal factory, as a part of their syllabi. A total of 09 students escorted with Archana Kumari, Assistant Professor in the Department of Human Development, Home Science to explore the information regarding mission, vision, organization structure; services provided and other aspects of the organization.

Just after arriving there a video related to the introduction of SOS village was shown to the students and then  a brief introduction was given by the resource person, Ms. Anjali Bhatt, who is working as a secretary in the organization. As per the information given by her, SOS Children's Village was established in 1976. It is functional with 14 family homes, a Kindergarten, a well equipped computer laboratory, basketball and volleyball courts, an auditorium, a library and a medical dispensary.

The organization works in close partnership with local agencies and community-based organizations, in order to identify children who have lost parental care, and families or who are in need of support.

It provides a comprehensive package of services to enable families to stay together and take good care of their children. Besides this they also raise awareness of hygiene and child rights and give guidance on parenting skills. In order for families to generate income, they offer the eligible inhabitants- vocational training, career counseling and advice. It also helps in creating self-help groups.

Children go to the local schools. The children from SOS families take part in many activities organized locally and those from nearby families also participate in festivals that they celebrate.
With the support of qualified professionals they are guided through this new stage of their lives, as they start vocational training courses, attend higher education or look for work. The young people are encouraged to develop perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. Two of the inhabitants are studying in the IIS University.

After getting these information the students were taken to one of the home. The house was fully furnished and provided with all the basic facilities. Every house is taken care by a woman whom the children call as mother. She takes care of children just like a mother.

Finally the students visited the campus and the administrative office and talked to the staff.