Child Sponsorship Background from Lipa, Philippines

SOS Children's Village Lipa

SOS Children's Village Lipa is situated at Banay-Banay, a suburb of Lipa City. Lipa is about 150 km from the capital, Manila, on the island of Luzon.  The SOS Children's Village consists of a number of family houses, the village director's house, and a community house.

Other SOS Projects in Lipa

The younger children are looked after at the SOS Nursery School, which is also open to children from the local neighbourhood.  It has three group rooms, a multi-purpose hall and a playground.  In 1989, a home for retired SOS mothers was established.  In 2006, the SOS Social Centre opened its doors.  It consists of an office, a multi-purpose hall and a room for medical treatment.  The centre offers day care for children from the neighbourhood and runs community support and family strengthening programmes.

The SOS Children's Village also has two SOS Youth Facilities, one for girls and one for boys.  Teenagers from the SOS Children's Village normally move to an SOS Youth Facility when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education.  With the support of qualified youth workers, they 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.  The SOS Youth House for girls is on the premises of the SOS Children's Village, whereas the one for boys is at a separate location closer to the city centre.

Background to Lipa

Lipa is a city in the province of Batangas, Philippines.  Known as the Rome of Philippines as the seat of the Archdiocese of Lipa and some of its parishes, retreat houses and seminaries are based here.  It is just one of the three component cities of Batangas province, which also include Batangas City and the City of Tanauan, and has a population of more than 260,000.