Child Sponsorship Background from Bethlehem, Palestinian Territories

SOS Children's Village Bethlehem

SOS Children's Village Bethlehem is situated near the historical Shepherd's Field and is inhabited exclusively by Arab children.

It consists of fourteen family houses, the village director's house, a guesthouse for co-workers, a house for the so-called SOS aunts (SOS mother trainees or family helpers who support the SOS mothers during their daily work and fill in for them when they are ill or on leave), and an administration and service area.  The ground floor of the administration building includes offices, a workshop, a common room, a laundry, a room for medical treatment and the village shop. On the first floor, there is accommodation for the co-workers.

Other SOS Projects in Bethlehem

The SOS Nursery adjoining the SOS Children's Village consists of four classrooms, a multi-purpose hall and a kitchen. Up to 90 children, both from the SOS Children's Village and from the local community, can attend this kindergarten. Fourty boys and girls are accommodated in four SOS Youth Facilities at the moment.

SOS School Bethlehem is also open to children from the local community. It consists of six classrooms (of which one is used for extra lessons for weaker pupils), a library, a laboratory, a computer room, a multi-purpose hall and an administration area. Currently, about 390 children get an education at the school.

For increased mobility the SOS Medical Centre Bethlehem was set up inside a container. It can easily be put on an articulated vehicle and taken to other places. Thus, help can be given where it is needed most. Inside the container, there is a simple doctor's office and a small laboratory. About 4000 patients get treatment at the SOS Medical Centre per year.

The SOS Medical Centre Nablus and Hebron, Jenin and Tulkarev (permanent psycho-social relief centres) were established as a satellite clinics of the SOS Medical Centre Bethlehem, so called medical points. Apart from providing medical care to the neighbourhood and psychological therapy and assistance to Palestinian children and families - as mentioned above - these centres also offer training for educators and parents and provide counselling for mothers. About 14000 people avail themselves of the services of the SOS Medical Centres each year.

Background to Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a Palestinian city in the central Palestinian Territories, approximately 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people.