Child sponsorship update from Valmiera, Latvia

Update for child sponsors from the SOS Children's Village Valamiera, Latvia from December 2008.

Dear Friend,

Christmas is almost here again, and I would like to take a moment to think back what has happened during the year, and to share some of our news with you, too. And, most of all, I would like to bring you warm greetings from SOS Children’s Village in Valmiera - from children, their SOS Moms, and from all of us!

Lots of children have arrived this year, and already 62 kids of different age live at Valmiera SOS Children’s Village. It means that 11 village houses have welcomed their new inhabitants! We have hired and trained more SOS Mothers, too, to take care of new children, and are very glad that we have found good and caring women for this special job.

At 2 Villages and 2 Youth Facilities we take care of 142 children already. Aside from that, there are SOS Family Strengthening Projects. We involve psychologist, social workers and doctors to help disadvantaged families to solve their problems and to take better care of their children. Such projects operate in 4 municipalities of Latvia, also in Valmiera.

Holiday time for children in Valmiera, Latvia

Winter is here and the Village is covered in snow now. Children enjoy it very much and have lots of fun, playing snowballs and building snowmen. Yet they still keep in memory lovely summer time. It was full of wonderful events this year. Several summer camps were organised, but the most exciting was SOS children’s camp in Italian town Caldonazzo. Such a camp takes place every year, and this year 12 children and 4 educators from Valmiera Village had an opportunity to go there, too. The trip was full of adventures and new impressions. They traveled in 2 microbuses, and it took whole 3 days to reach the camp location. On their way, they stopped at SOS Villages in Poland and Czech Republic, to spend a night there. The most impressive was the way through the Alps, with road winding through the mountains.

Children and educators couldn’t stop admiring fantastic scenery around, and it’s understandable - our kids had never ever seen mountains before! There are no big mountains in Latvia, just some small hills here and there. Children spent almost 3 weeks at the camp, and it was time full of colorful events - sports competitions, excursions, circus performances and much more. Part of a daily routine was swimming in a nearby lake. They met lots of SOS children from other counties, made new friendships, learned new skills, and returned home full of happy memories.

Children growing up in Latvia

In SOS families, like in any family, there is fun and joy, and duties and chores. Bigger children study hard now, as the end of a school semester is close, but small ones attend nursery school. And all of them prepare performances for long-expected Christmas.

SOS children, like any other, need love and care. Unfortunately, they cannot have the most important – love and care of their own parents. Still, all together, we can do a lot – we can give our children sense of stability and security, and can do our best, so they would have happy childhood memories.

Lots of good things that we manage are possible thanks to support and good hearts of our friends – far and near. I would like to thank you once again for being our friend, and wish you joyful Christmas and all the best in the New Year!

Sincerely,
Irena Liepina

Sponsorship Coordinator