Leh-Ladakh

Country information

The SOS Children's Village Leh-Ladakh is situated on the river Indus, 7 km from the town of Leh in the Ladakh region of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The area is rather inhospitable although the scenery is quite impressive. The winters are extremely cold and there are many storms. The sparse vegetation is limited to the banks of the few rivers, and there is practically no farming. The SOS Children's Village Leh-Ladakh consists of 26 large family houses, a guest house and several administrative buildings. There is a large central kitchen, where all the cooking for the SOS families is done. The SOS Kindergarten and the SOS School are attended by many children from the refugee camps which have been set up in this region. SOS Children's Villages provides daily meals to a number of refugees from the camps at its SOS Social Centre. Mothers who have to work can leave their children at the SOS Day Care Centre. The SOS Children's Village also has its own SOS Vocational Training Centre, where young people train for different jobs. There are two SOS Youth Facilities, one for girls and one for boys. At the SOS Medical Centre, not only the inhabitants of the village are treated but also the people from the camps.