Where do the children come from who join the Village? Does the community ever accept children over the age of five? Are children ever turned away? What happens if there are disciplinary problems with the children? Can children be adopted from the village? What qualifications or standards does the mother have? Can a couple raise a family? Why are the households composed solely of mothers? Do children miss not having a father? Are real siblings ever raised together? How do children integrate into outside communities? Who does all of the cooking and cleaning? What is the ratio of boys to girls in the Village? Why do boys leave at an earlier age than the girls? What resources do they have for funding of this? Are other SOS villages similar? Does SOS Chennai work on any other initiatives? Where does funding come from?
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Children almost always come from Chennai or the surrounding villages. Parents of the children may have died in an accident or abandoned their child at a local hospital or police station.
- Does the community ever accept children over the age of five?
While the Village prefers taking in younger children, exceptions have been made in cases of extreme need or when siblings have entered the village together.
- Are children ever turned away?
No, Chatnath Homes has never turned away a child in need.
- What happens if there are disciplinary problems with the children?
SOS follows specific guidelines to handle child behavior problems. With the wellbeing and safety of all village children in mind, SOS will rehabilitate children as needed with the child’s protection as first priority. There have not been any significant disciplinary issues to date at Chatnath Homes.
No, once they enter the village community, children cannot be adopted. In keeping with the goal of providing as normal a childhood as possible, SOS believes that late adoption can be disruptive and emotionally destabilizing for a child.
- What qualifications or standards does the mother have?
SOS looks for mothers who are caring, responsible, and devoted to working with children. They should be physically fit, and preferably between the ages of 25-35 upon entrance to the village. Mothers initially come to the village as “aunts” to undergo at least two years of training before they are eligible to become a mother. If they prove to be hard working and reliable assistants, they will overlap duties for several months with a mother ready for retirement before taking complete charge of the household.
- Can a couple raise a family?
No, only single, unmarried women, preferably without children of her own, can become a village mother.
SOS feels that the potential complications that could arise from the presence of “fathers” in Village homes would jeopardize the stable home environments it strives to create for its children. They wouldn’t want the dynamic between husband and wife to compromise the care and attention given to a house full of children.
- Do children miss not having a father?
Of course, but in an effort to make up for the absence of a father in the home, Chatnath Homes has a devoted village Director who serves as a father figure and mentor for all village children. He regularly meets with the children one on one and lives on the village grounds for 24-hour access if needed. A junior counselor, as well as the youth house director, also serve as male mentors in the village.
- Are real siblings ever raised together?
Yes, when siblings enter the village, they are always raised in the same household.
School: The village grade school is open to children from all surrounding communities, and once SOS children pass 5th standard, they are integrated into one of six outside schools.
Families: Mothers are encouraged to take their children on vacations to visit family, and cultural excursions outside of the village.
Friends of SOS: Chatnath Homes promotes a program where Chennai residents can “adopt a family” for trips and time within normalized home settings.
- Who does all of the cooking and cleaning?
Each mother is given an allowance for food and takes care of all cooking and cleaning needs. She is awarded a personal stipend, and encouraged to take a vacation to rest from her duties for two weeks out of the year.
1/3 boys, 2/3 girls. This imbalance is due to the fact that more girl babies are abandoned than boy babies in Tamil Nadu.
- Why do boys leave the village at an earlier age than the girls?
So that they can be closer to a father figure and be surrounded by male companions and role models. Even though boys leave their homes to enter the boarding house at age 14-15, they visit their homes and families frequently.
There are usually no more than 10 boys in the boarding house at a time, so it retains an intimate, family-style atmosphere.
- What resources do village children have for pursing higher education? Where does funding come from?
The village Director, as well as the group of five advisors that visits the village every Tuesday, give advice and counseling to all village children on educational and professional opportunities. Grants are provided for those students who show academic achievement and earn a place in a university for higher learning.
Yes and No. Each SOS Village has similarities and unique features which create a vibrant and unified SOS community worldwide. There are over 450 Villages servicing over 60,000 children all over the world. To learn more, visit the official SOS website at www.sos-childrensvillages.org
- Is SOS Chatnath Homes involved in any other philanthropic work?
Yes! Currently, reconstruction and rehabilitation of Pudukuppam Village after December’s Tsunami has been the main focus. To learn more about this project, click here.
Past projects include the Roof for Roofless initiative, providing 10-15 homes for surrounding villages in need.
The strengthening mothers program, giving 500 Rs. and counseling to single mothers in surrounding villages has been going for two years.
- Where does most of the funding come from for SOS Village, Chatnath Homes?
Over 90% of funding for the village comes from personal sponsors and donations, which is why it is so important for your interest and support. To find out more about how you can help, click here.
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