Capital: Jerusalem
Population: 3.5 million (2004)
Ethnic groups: Palestinian Arabs and Israelis
Official language(s): Arabic
Religion(s): Muslim, Jewish, Christian
Currency: 1 new shekel = 100 agorot / 1 Jordanian dinar = 1,000 fils
SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
In 1966, two years after Hermann Gmeiner personally made the first contact with Bethlehem (West Bank), a SOS Children's Village Association was founded. In the same year, the application for permission to build an SOS Children's Village was submitted to the Ministry of Social Affairs in Amman, Jordan. Just two years later, the SOS Children's Village with a kindergarten went into operation, and in 1987 the first SOS youth facility was established. Further youth facilities were added in 1997 and 2005.
In 1997, the former offices of the National Coordination Office were slightly adapted to become an SOS Hermann Gmeiner Primary School with a kindergarten attached. In 2003, SOS Bethlehem opened a psycho-social mobile medical centre for the children and families who were traumatised due to the war. This service was extended in 2005 and 2006 to four psycho-social relief service centres in Nablus, Hebron, Jericho and Jenin. In addition, the Family Strengthening Programme was implemented in 2005. SOS Children’s Village Bethlehem, in collaboration with other NGOs, took various steps to assist the needy population, strongly affected by the long lasting conflict: psychological and psychiatric assistance, medical treatment, supporting families to strengthen their ability to care for their children.
On 11 September 1999, after three years of negotiation, a government agreement was signed between the Palestinian Authorities and SOS-Kinderdorf International. SOS-Kinderdorf International acquired land near Rafah to build an SOS Children’s Village. In September 2001, construction work was completed on the SOS Children's Village Rafah in Tal el Sultan and the adjoining school and kindergarten. Since 2002, SOS Children's Villages in Gaza has been involved in health care, maintaining a small medical centre for the neighbourhood of the SOS Children's Village. In order to further support the community, an SOS Kindergarten opened its doors in September 2004 in Khan Younis.
At the same time a Social Centre in Gaza City went into operation. It includes also a Prevention of Child Abandonment Programme.
At present there are two SOS Children's Villages in the Palestinian Territories, two SOS Youth Facilities, three SOS Kindergartens, two SOS Hermann Gmeiner Schools, one psycho-social mobile Medical Centre, four Psycho-social relief service centres, three Social Centres and one small Medical Centre.
Website of SOS Children's Villages Palestinian Territories (available in English)