SOS Children's Village

 

I realized that I had never written about my trip to SOS Children's Village almost a month ago when I was in Serowe, so here it is!  SOS Children's Village is a sort of foster home/orphanage.  They have a really unique set up with individual houses so the children can feel part of a family.  In Serowe (there are 2 other villages in Bostwana, but all three have waiting lists as there are many children in need) there are 9 separate houses each with 10-14 children and 2 "house mothers."  The "house mothers" have their own families, but they live at SOS most of the time, returning to their own families 3 days every two weeks.  The children in the houses range in age from babies to 18 year olds and boys and girls are mixed so that the children have "siblings."  Most of the children are orphans, though some are placed at SOS after being abused or neglected, and many have HIV.  Most have connections with their biological families (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc) but for whatever reason their families cannot take care of them.  However, many go back to their biological families for school holidays.  I went to visit to check up on a patient who we had referred there and found her and her "siblings" to be thriving. 

 This is the front of her house.  The children and house mothers can decide on what type of gardening and landscaping to do in front of the house and many had vegetable plots.

It only took a few minutes for the children to warm up to us.  We brought along some stickers which, as you can see, were a big hit.  Trying on our sunglasses also provided much entertainment.  But they got the greatest joy by being picked up, swung around, carried, hugged, etc.  It wasn't long before I was a human jungle gym. I certainly felt sore the next day, but it was well worth all the smiles and laughter ;) 

I returned the next week to play chess with some of the older children (though they promptly beat me, since I am very out of practice!)  

I will surely be a frequent visitor when I return to Serowe in March!