Founded in 1969, SOS Children’s Villages Canada (SOS Canada) is the Canadian branch of SOS Children’s Villages which was founded in 1949 by an Austrian medical student. SOS Children’s Villages provides loving homes for children in 134 countries around the world who have been abandoned and orphaned. At the homes, their basic needs for food, health, shelter, and education are met. SOS Canada’s programs include: Children’s Villages, Family Strengthening Programs, Kindergartens, Schools, Youth Facilities, Vocational Training Centres, Medical Centres, and Emergency Relief Programs. In F2018, SOS Canada distributed $4.0m, of which 60% went to projects in Africa, 21% to Asia, 7% to Europe, 7% to North America, and 5% to South America.

Each SOS Children’s Village is made up of 10 to 15 houses of SOS mothers, brothers, and sisters. SOS mothers are extensively trained local women who provide constant long-term care for five to ten children. Brothers and sisters are children of different ages who grow up together under the care of their SOS mother. Each SOS family is given a home in which they live according to their own culture and religion. SOS Children’s Villages keeps families together through Family Strengthening Programs, which include skills training and community development work. Since 1 of every 4 children lives in a country affected by conflict or disaster, SOS also administers emergency aid to families. In emergency situations, SOS works to have families reunited, offers childcare, provides education and healthcare services, and distributes food to children and women.

SOS Children’s Villages Canada reports that over 12,000 Canadians helped 3,199 children in 115 countries in F2018. In its F2018 annual report, SOS Canada mentioned highlights from projects in Africa including: training 24 Ugandan teachers from 16 different schools, delivering early childhood education services to more than 1,000 Ugandan children, and improving access to day care services and early learning for close to 200 children in Keranyo, Ethiopia.

SOS Children’s Villages Canada is a ­­­­large charity, with total donations of $6.0m in F2018. Administrative costs are 12% of revenues (excluding investment income) and fundraising costs are 24% of donations. For every dollar donated, 64 cents go to the cause. This is outside Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Funding reserves of $3.6m (including donor-endowed funds of $381k) can cover 10 months of annual program costs. Excluding donor-endowed funds, SOS Canada can cover nine months of annual program costs.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to SOS Children’s Villages Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on August 7, 2019 by Lauren Chin.