Child Sponsorship Background from Arad, Israel

SOS Children's Village Neradim, near Arad

SOS Children's Village Arad (Neradim) was built on the southern outskirts of the town of Arad, which is situated in the middle of the Negev Desert, not far from the Dead Sea at an altitude of 650 m above sea level.

The SOS Children's Village opened its gates on 27 October 1981 and consists of twelve family houses, where many children can find a new home. There is also the village director's house, 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), a community building with a multi-purpose hall, two workshops, and an administration and service area.

Other SOS Projects in Neradim

In 1988, an SOS Youth Home was set up. It accommodates youths from the SOS Children's Village. Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Home when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers.

In January 2005, an SOS Social Centre was opened at Arad. It runs a day-care centre and various community outreach programmes to support socially weak families. Children from the local community can be looked after at the day-care centre. Community outreach programmes include counselling for women, information on how to prevent the spread of certain diseases, and help with the financing of micro enterprises.

Background to Neradim

Arad is a city in the South District of Israel. It is located on the border of the Negev and Judean Deserts, 25 kilometers (15.5 mi) west of the Dead Sea and 45 kilometers (28.0 mi) east of the city Beersheba. The city is home to a diverse population of 23,300, including Ashkenazi and Sephardi Jews, both secular and religious, Bedouins and Black Hebrews, as well as native-born Israelis and new immigrants.