SOS Children's Villages is a large international charitable group dedicated to the care of orphaned and abandoned children. Founded by Hermann Gmeiner in 1949 in Imst, Austria, its central administration is still in Innsbruck, Austria.

Prominent supporters include Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama and Johnny Cash whose memorial fund is towards the work of SOS worldwide.

The group currently has member charities in 131 countries with 50,000 children in villages under their residential direct care and a further 500,000 receiving support in situ via schooling, social support and most recently in situ support for child-led families in areas of Africa where HIV/AIDS has left a very high level of orphaned children.

The US spokesperson for the group is Sarah Ferguson.

See also

• SOS Children's Villages UK

External links

• International charity site
• UK charity site