Child sponsors can choose from two locations in Botswana, a third location is currently under construction

ABOUT BOTSWANA

Botswana is a land locked country located in the southern part of the African continent. The main industry is agriculture which employs the majority of the workforce. However, factors such as erratic rain fall and poor soils quality mean there is more often than not poor crop yields and Botswana is only able to grow about half of their food needs each year.

Botswana has one of the highest HIV/AIDS infection rates in the world, 22% of the total population is HIV positive. Life expectancy has dropped drastically from 65 years to 38 years in the last decade. The number of orphans is therefore growing and recent numbers state that there are currently 800,000 orphaned children under the age of 15 living in Botswana today.

There are some excellent social resources in place, such as free primary education for every child and good access to potable water country-wide, but there remain hundreds of children without the protection of family, making them vulnerable to traffickers or succeptable to fored labour situations and hubdreds live rough on the streets. That is no life for a child.

SOS IN BOTSWANA

There are 2 locations in Botswana, the first is located in the suburb of Tlokweng. Opened in 1986 there are 15 family homes with for children up to the age of 16. Children attend local government schools and are able to mix with other children from surrounding areas. The younger children make use of the SOS nursery school which, like all SOS schools, is open to the local children as well as SOS children.

This location is home to a farm which provides opportunity for children to learn valuable agricultural skills and provides food for the village. When children reach 16 they are invited to attend the vocational training centre where they are taught skills such as tailoring, welding and carpentry to prepare tehm for careers in the local jobmarkets.

SOS Francistown was built in 1998 and this location also boasts 15 family homes for children who are orphaned or abandonned. There is one nursery and children attend local government schools when they grow older.

Currently under construction, SOS Serowe will provide 12 family homes for 120 orphaned and abandoned children and a nursery school.

SOS has also worked for some time in conjunction with National Aids Co-ordinating Agency, which has set up treatment facilities for children living with the disease, there are also wider-reaching community based AIDS programmes that help hundreds of children each day. Theseservices operate in conjunction with the SOS Children’s Villages and help to make a difference in the lives of children throughout the country.

SOS Children’s Villages does not use sponsorship money for UK admin fees, 100% of your donation goes to benefit your child.  Sponsors may write to or visit their sponsored child, receive updates and even give small birthday gifts into a savings account if desired.