Child Sponsorship Background from Kara, Togo

SOS Children's Village Kara

SOS Children's Village Kara has been open since September 1979 and was opened by the Minister of Health and Social Affairs of Togo.  There, children are cared for in family houses and a house is available for the use of the village director, the SOS aunts and guests.  Moreover, there is an administration and service area, three open round huts and a sports ground which is very popular.

Other SOS Projects in Kara

From the outset, a primary school was also added to SOS Children's Village Kara which was initially opened as a Catholic primary school and from 18 September 1995 onwards was run as an SOS Primary School.  Hundreds of school children are taught there in classrooms and in addition additional classes were set up for practical subjects as well as a room for individual tuition.

The SOS Nursery School, which opened its gates in October 1981, has a capacity of 50 children (also from neighbouring areas), who are cared for by trained nursery school teachers in two group rooms as well as a room for individual tuition.

The SOS Medical Centre, which has existed since 1982 and was expanded in March 2002, is used by around 30,000 patients every year and focuses on caring for mothers and children.  In addition to a general clinic for outpatients, a dispensary and a laboratory, the ward also has a nutrition centre (together with rooms for relevant courses) and a maternity ward.  Many mothers from far and wide take their malnourished and sick babies to the clinic as outpatients or inpatients and obtain information on how to look after their babies well and on good nourishment.

In 1985 an SOS Youth Home (rented flats in which young people who are reaching the age when they will leave the area are only supervised by a caregiver and who have to gain increasing responsibility for their time) and an SOS Vocational Training Centre in the form of a large farm (20 hectares of farmland) were opened in Kara.  Over the course of the last few years it has developed into a model facility, in which agricultural businesses in the area can get advice.  This farm not only keep pigs, sheep and poultry, it also offers places on training programmes for SOS Youth and protected jobs for SOS young people with special needs.

In 2004 two SOS Social Centres were opened: one offers "Help to Self-Help” and consists of a classroom, workshops for practical teaching, consultation and conference rooms, IT classes, a library and an open multi-purpose hall with a storeroom.  Each year more than 10,000 people use the Social Centre and its facilities.  The other social centre is specialised in educating and supporting those in need, particularly those families who have been affected by HIV/Aids.

Background to Kara

Kara is a city in northern Togo, based in the Kara Region, 413 km north of the capital Lomé.  Originally known as Lama-Kara, Etienne Eyadéma, former president of Togo, was born nearby and has developed the former village into an administrative and industrial centre.