Child Sponsorship background from Borovljany, Belarus

SOS Children's Village Borovljany

Borovljany is a small town close to the country's capital, Minsk and the children there attend the nursery and schools in the nearby town of Lesnoj.

The SOS Children's Village is situated in a rural area and is neighboured by many farmhouses and hostels accommodating the staff of the numerous clinics which are located in the vicinity of the SOS Children's Village. There is a regular bus connection between Borovljany and Minsk.

On 22 April 1998, both the SOS Children's Village and the SOS Social Centre in Borovljany were officially opened in the presence of the president of SOS Children, representatives of the Belarusian government and numerous guests of honour.

Up to 91 children can be given a new home in the thirteen family houses of the SOS Children's Village Borovljany. Additionally, a community building, a workshop and houses for the village director and the SOS aunts (who support the SOS mothers and take care of the children when the mothers are on leave) belong to the SOS Children's Village.

Other SOS Projects in Borovljany

Sixteen youngsters can be accommodated at the SOS Youth Home in Minsk, where they stay during their vocational training or higher education and slowly prepare themselves for an independent life. The SOS Social Centre operates three different branches: health centre, information technology, family strengthening.

At the health centre, up to 360 persons can be accommodated per year; children and their mothers are given the possibility to stay together throughout the duration of the therapy. The children receive treatment at the neighbouring oncological hospital for the long-term effects of their exposure to radiation. The health centre offers professional care, medical supervision and psychotherapeutic support in a pleasant and welcoming environment, as well as providing supplementary remedial education and a range of leisure activities.

About 370 children benefit from the different courses in the field of information technology.

The Family Strengthening Programme 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.