SOS Children in Serbia

A period of political turmoil and conflict during the 1990s isolated the country internationally and has left the government with huge challenges coping with its social caseload. Family support systems have been under extreme pressure. Unemployment is high, at approximately 14% of the population. This has contributed to increasing household poverty and a worsening situation for children.

It has thirteen family houses which are home to over 150 children. The houses have been built in a circle around a fountain. Every house has its own garden which is tended by the SOS family. For the older children who have grown up in the village, SOS Youth Homes have been established in the nearby town of Novi Sad. Here, young people can take their first steps towards an independent life outside the village whilst under the guidance of qualified youth workers.

When the war broke out in the former Yugoslavia in 1991 there was a flood of refugees from all parts of the country. SOS Children's Village Novi Sad took in refugees and looked after them. Unfortunately the Village here suffered damage from the 1999 bombing and had to be renovated. After the bombing, children with mild disabilities were accommodated in the youth house so that they could attend the nearby school for children with special needs. Some time later the SOS Children’s Village and the youth house were handed over to the municipality of Novi Sad.

At the same time the village was built, a Family Strengthening Programme was set up in cooperation with an SOS Social Centre in Kraljevo. The programme runs creative free time activities for children, which help them to make friends and improve their social skills. Classes are also provided for parents to inform them about educational matters and child development. This project was supported by SOS Children's Villages Serbia until mid 2005.

We unpacked in a hurry and rushed to the beach. Some people wanted to rest. Not me. I loved the waves. When they hit the shore, the foam looked like snow. I swam and swam for hours. When we came back we showered, had dinner and went to sleep. I fell asleep like a baby.

"I love the summer because it's warm and pleasant and there's no school. I'm always happy in the summer and this one especially because I went on vacation. I could not wait to see the seaside. We passed by mountains and rivers and more mountains and soon I got very tired. I fell asleep in the bus seat and I woke up when we arrived at our vacation spot.

I was so happy that the beach was near. The Adriatic Sea is beautiful; bright blue like the sky with nice warm water. Also, the house in which we spent our holiday was very nice. We played in the sand and swam and had fun every day. It was beautiful. That's how I spent my first summer holiday."