Child Sponsorship Background from Sonsonate, El Salvador

Sonsonate, the capital of the department of Sonsonate, El Salvador; on the river Sensunapan and the railway from San Salvador to the Pacific port of Acajutla, 21 km (13 miles) south. The population is estimated to be around 110,000.  It was the centre of a rich agricultural district, and one of the busiest manufacturing towns in the republic. Products include: cotton, cloth, pottery, mats and baskets, boots and shoes, sugar, starch, cigars and spirits. Through the port of Acajutla, it exported coffee and sugar, and imported grain for distribution to all parts of the country.

The first Salvadorian SOS Children's Village was built in the small town of Sonsonate in the early 1970s. Later, this SOS Children's Village was transformed into an SOS Social Centre. In 1990, the children moved into the newly built SOS Children's Village on the outskirts of Sonsonate. It is situated on the road to San Salvador and can easily be reached by bus.  It is situated on a beautiful area with many fruit trees which provide refreshing shade.

There are 14 family houses, the village director's house, an SOS Aunts' (family helpers') house, an administration and service area and a community building. In addition to that, a playground and a sports field have been laid out for the children.

Furthermore, SOS Social Centre Sonsonate offers a child day-care centre and three workshops for vocational training (dressmaking, handicraft and typing courses). Up to 200 children and babies can be looked after at the day-care centre. Since 2005, the SOS Social Centre has been supporting local families to develop different measures of family strengthening, for example by organising childminding programmes.