Child Sponsorship Background from Dhaka, Bangladesh

SOS Children's Village Dhaka

SOS Children's Village Dhaka is situated on a main road leading out of the city to the north and consists of 15 family houses, an SOS Nursery, a community house and several additional buildings.

There is a training workshop, a day-care centre for children of working mothers from the neighbourhood and an evening school.

Since most of the children are Muslims, a small mosque was built inside the SOS Children's Village. A few Hindu children also live at SOS Children's Village Dhaka. They are raised by the SOS mothers in their own religion.

After the devastating storms and floods of 1991, a cyclone shelter was built in the city, which is also used as a mosque and as a communication centre for the local population.

Other SOS Projects in Dhaka

There is also an SOS Youth Home on the site of the SOS Children's Village, where young people from all the SOS Children's Villages of Bangladesh can live during the time of their vocational and professional training. Here they learn to live independently and acquire professional skills in the adjoining SOS Vocational Training Centre. This centre offers training in electrical and mechanical engineering, car mechanics and carpentry.

Since 1986, there has also been an SOS Primary and Secondary School. Children from the SOS Children's Village and the surrounding residential area are taught together. There was a great need for this school, since educational facilities are very limited in Bangladesh. The school has acquired an excellent reputation as one of the country's best educational establishments.

Background to Dhaka

Dhaka, is the capital of Bangladesh  and the principal city of Dhaka District. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, has a population of around 13 million, making it the largest city in Bangladesh.