Happiness at the SOS Children's Village Vilnius, Lithuania

"When Tereze became an SOS mother I started to help her. My children were the same age and they became friends. I felt it was like one big family - the aunt (family helper) was really an aunt," says mother Inga, describing how she joined her sister at SOS Children's Village Vilnius, Lithuania. Tereze came to the SOS Children's Village completely by chance. "That's life - when it seems that all the doors have closed in front of you, there's always one door that's still open and you must go through that door", she says. "A friend of mine worked here and she asked me to help her, so I did. She left, but I stayed. I felt that I could do it," says Tereze. "The 1990s were also a time of pure feelings - in 1993 I really wanted to do something for my country and to have a purpose in life. I felt the energy and that I had enough heart and kindness to raise not only six or seven children, but at least twice as many," says the lady who has now been living in the SOS Children's Village for 16 years and has since raised 14 children.

Tereze's sister Inga started work in the SOS Children's Village exactly as she did - by helping others. "Tereze came here to help her friend and she quickly realised that she wanted to become a mother too. When she became a mother I started to help her in my free time," says Inga. "My children were the same age as my sister's children and they became friends. I felt it was like one big family - the aunt was really an aunt, the mother's sister!" It is now 14 years since she started to work as an aunt in Tereze's family house - she worked as an aunt for five years.

Tereze remembers the time she worked in the same house as Inga as very relaxing. "It was great! I am very relaxed when I'm with someone I know, who I trust and who trusts me. We understood each other with only half the word. We even didn't have to discuss what to do," she recalls. Inga says that she is used to the fact that her sister lives in the same street and she can talk to her whenever she needs to. Tereze is taking part in the belly dancing group at the SOS Kindergarten "Sometimes it happens that you face a situation when you need to talk to someone - it's good to have a sister close to you and it is also good to know that she knows what you are talking about," says Inga adding that it doesn't mean she doesn't have other friends in the SOS Children's Village.

The only complicated matter the sisters remember from the time they worked together in the house was when they wanted to go to their niece's wedding and it was difficult to arrange for both mother and aunt to leave the house for the weekend at the same time. Working with her sister gave Inga precious insight into life at the SOS Children's Village. "I didn't have any illusions when I decided to become an SOS mother - I knew the difficulties and joys."

Tereze has a positive memory of their father and says that he is probably the reason why two sisters ended up in the SOS Children's Village. "I think this - why two sisters want to work here - is because of our family. Our father loved children and our uncle is a famous children's writer, so we were really loved and this was a good example for us," she says.

Tereze is happy with her decision to stay at the SOS Children's Village. "I'm happy here because for me it's very important and I'm serious about it - it gives purpose to my life. Her sister Inga, who used to do administrative work at a children's shop, is also happy in the village. "I feel that this is the right place for me. It's sometimes difficult to work with children but through those difficulties you grow as a person. All the time you look for new solutions and constantly give warmth. It can be very tiresome but it also gives strength," she says. "In a way it's work because we have meetings and we have to fill in reports but with the children it's not work, it is life," says Inga. Life in the SOS Children's Village is as colourful as anywhere else and with two sisters working together it is no wonder. Actually, the family model is quite popular at SOS Children's Village Vilnius - another mother works in a family house with her niece who works as an SOS aunt.