Child Sponsorship Background from Almaty, Kazakhstan

SOS Children's Village Almaty

The SOS Children's Village Almaty is situated above the city of Almaty in a quiet residential area. From the village, one has a nice view of the hills nearby and a footpath along the close river invites to enjoy long walks.  Hospitals, markets, schools and a college are located close to the SOS Children's Village.  The official opening ceremony was held in July 1999.

The SOS Children's Village Almaty comprises eleven family houses, a multipurpose hall, a basketball field, a room for medical treatment and houses for the village director and the SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave).  Up to 99 children can find a new home in the eleven family houses.

Other SOS Projects in Almaty

The SOS Social Centre Capchagay, a holiday camp for children and their SOS mothers, has been operational since 1998.  It comprises dormitories, a kitchen, a dining room and a laundry and can accommodate up to 60 children.

In order to meet the needs of the growing number of youths, it became necessary to establish an SOS Youth Home which was opened in January 2006.  Up to 16 youths stay there during their vocational training or further education and there they prepare for an independent life under the guidance of their youth leaders.  They are looked after until they are able to live on their own.

Background to Almaty

Almaty is the largest city in Kazakhstan, having a population of 1.3 million (8% of the country's population).  It was the capital of Kazakhstan (and its predecessor, the Kazakh SSR) between 1929 to 1998, when the capital moved to Astana. Almaty lies in the southeast of Kazakhstan at the foot of the Tian Shan mountain range, close to the border to China and Kyrgyzstan.