Pune, Maharashtra

SOS Children's Village Pune

The SOS Children's Village Pune was opened in 1979 and is located in the northern suburb of Yervada, roughly 7km from the airport, and on a five-hectare (twelve-acre) site. The SOS Children's Village consists of 20 family houses, staff accommodation, a multi-purpose hall and the necessary administration and service area.

Other SOS Projects in Pune

There is also an SOS Primary School, which is attended by children from the local community as well. The sick bay of the SOS Children's Village is open to people who live near by. At SOS Children's Village Pune, there is a centre for street children ("Mumbai Centre").

In 1993, an SOS Youth Home was opened. It consists of two SOS Youth Houses, one for girls and one for boys. Young people usually move from the SOS Children's Village to an SOS Youth Home when they start a vocational training course or go on to higher education. With the support of qualified youth workers, the young people develop realistic perspectives for their future, learn to shoulder responsibility and increasingly make their own decisions. They are encouraged to develop team spirit and build up contacts with relatives and friends, as well as with the relevant authorities and potential employers. Older girls and boys from the SOS Children's Village Latur also stay at the SOS Youth Houses in Pune while they are attending college or doing vocational training.

In 2005, SOS Children India launched its family strengthening programmes in Pune. These programmes are intended to support families at risk of abandoning their children and to encourage families to stay together. SOS Children works with local authorities and other service providers to support families and enable them to take good care of their children. The Pune family strengthening programme provides nutritional, educational and health support as well as vocational training, career counselling sessions and job placement support. Families are linked with existing self-help groups; if there is no group, a new one is formed. The programme also aims at raising awareness of hygiene and child rights and improving people's parenting skills.

Background to Pune

Pune, has a population of more than three million people and is the second largest city of Maharashtra state in western India. It is around 160 kilometres southeast of the state capital, Mumbai, and also the eighth largest city in India. The slum population is around 40 percent, with a large percentage having migrated from the countryside as well as villages local to the city.