Child Sponsorship background from Bata, Equatorial Guinea

SOS Children's Village Bata

SOS Children's Village Bata is in the San Pedro de Lea district, about two kilometres from the centre of town.

It was opened in January 2000, and has a capacity of up to 100 children and consists of a total of ten family houses, a village director's house, an administration building and a house for the SOS aunts (SOS mothers in training who actively support the SOS mothers).

Other SOS Projects in Bata

Bata has an SOS Nursery and two SOS Schools: an SOS Primary School and an SOS Secondary School.

The SOS Nursery can offer places to 30 children in six classrooms. It was opened in September 1996 and has a kitchen, where warm meals are prepared for the children.

Up to 380 school children (boys and girls) can be taught at the SOS Primary School, which was opened in September 1998 and has ten classrooms, a library and office space.

The SOS Secondary School can offer 180 school children (boys and girls) a place. It opened in September 2002 and has the same rooms as the primary school (ten classrooms, a library and office space).

The three schools are open to children from the SOS Children's Village, as well as any child from the neighbourhood.

Health care in Bata is severely lacking and many families cannot afford to send their children to school. In 2001, an SOS Medical Centre was built so as to ensure efficient medical care for the people and to implement various preventive measures at a local level. The centre has a treatment room with beds, a consultation room, a laboratory, a dispensary and an operating theatre and delivery room. It also has a reception and administration area. Since it opened, up to 2,050 patients have been helped each month. In order to meet the increasing demands, the centre was expanded in 2012.

Background to Bata

Bata is the Equatorial Guinea's second largest town and is also the capital of the continental territory; the capital of Equatorial Guinea Malabo is on the island of Bioko.  San Pedro de Lea is a predominantly middle-class residential district and has very good transport connections.