Somalia - Select a village

Country information

Mogadishu Capital: Mogadishu Area: 637,66 km² Population: 9,7 million (December 2000 est.) Ethnic groups: Somali 85%, Bantu 15% Official language(s): Somali Religion(s): Sunni Islam Currency: 1 Somali shilling = 100 cents Our Facilities The agreement between SOS Children's Village International (SOS CVI) and the Democratic Republic of Somalia was the beginning of SOS Children's Village International's commitment in Somalia. In 1984, the construction of the first SOS Children's Village in Mogadishu was begun. In 1985, the first orphans could already move into their new homes. Since that time SOS CVI has been very active in this country. Still before the outbreak of the civil war three SOS projects were opened: the SOS Primary School which comprises 12 classes, the SOS Mother & Child Clinic (both projects are situated on the premises of the SOS Children's Village which is about 6 hectares) and the SOS Palm River Farm (20 km from Modgadishu). When heavy fighting started in Mogadishu immediately after the outbreak of the civil war the situation in Mogadishu rapidly escalated to the point that the SOS project-coordinator in Somalia, Willy Huber, made an appeal to SOS CVI for immediate help. In 1991, the Emergency Relief Programme for Somalia (feeding programme, food supply and medical care, etc.) was started. This programme helped to save thousands of lives. Owing to the lack of public health services some of the SOS facilities, such as the SOS School and the SOS Mother & Child Clinic had to be transformed in order to perform chirurgical operations, admit in-patients and guarantee medical care for people in need. Both SOS facilities worked around the clock during several months. They were the only medical facilities in Somalia which had always remained operational during the civil war. During the war a tent village was set up next to the SOS Children's Village to temporarily accommodate orphans and to give classes. The tent village was replaced by fixed buildings in 1995. Today, these buildings accommodate the new SOS School whose functioning is especially important in times of crisis with regard to the educational background of the children and getting prepared for independence. Thanks to the tremendous performance of SOS co-workers and SOS children it was possible to run the SOS facilities in Somalia at a high level even in times of war. Contact: SOS Children's Villages Somalia P.O. Box 1002 Mogadishu Somalia fax +252-1-64 70 10