Child Sponsorship background from Tirana, Albania

SOS Children's Village Tirana

SOS Children's Village Tirana is situated in Sauk, a village with approximately 6,000 inhabitants, about four kilometres southeast of Albania's capital, Tirana. It is located in a truly beautiful spot, right next to a park and a lake.

The SOS Children's Village Tirana comprises thirteen family houses, a multi-purpose hall, a library, houses for SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave) and the village director, and an administration and service area. A sports and playground has also been laid out.

Other SOS Projects in Tirana

The SOS Nursery consists of five group rooms and has a capacity for up to 125 children.

The adjoining SOS School offers both primary and secondary school education to up to 300 children. It includes ten classrooms, two laboratories, a library, a multi-purpose hall and a canteen.

In September 2001, flats were rented in the centre of Tirana to serve as an SOS Youth Home which accommodates youths who have already outgrown the SOS Children's Village during their vocational training or higher education, giving them the chance to prepare for an independent life.

Furthermore, the SOS Social Centre has been running a programme called "open up the village" since October 2003, which was extended in 2006. With this programme, disadvantaged families whose children are at risk of being abandoned are supported.

An additional Family Strengthening Programme was launched in 2007; it offers access to essential services for children’s development (eg. educational, nutritional and health support, social skills) and supports families to protect and care for their children. The programme also aims at linking families with income generating activities and offers help to improve the parents’ parenting skills.

Background to Tirana

Tirana is the capital city of Albania, with a population of over 600,000. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. The city is home to many universities and is the centre of the political, economical, and cultural life of the country.