Are there any other organisations caring for orphaned children?
Yes, most of these facilities are run by nuns who care for orphaned and abandoned children drawing on financial support by UNICEF and private donors, mostly in camps. SOS Children’s Villages is the only privately-run organisation offering family-like long-term care for children in need. Can SOS Children’s Villages be considered a “safe haven”? Yes, I think so. You can tell by the fact that people often seek refuge in SOS Children’s Villages when fighting breaks out. We are usually respected by the different conflict parties, even if soldiers and militias repeatedly have taken temporary possession of SOS Children’s Village facilities. SOS Children’s Village Bukavu is located on a hill, which is why it is considered a favourable strategic location. These “military occupations” are usually unproblematic. There was one exception to that: a misdirected bullet killed a child in 1996. The situation of soldiers running around with their weapons truly weighs heavily on our children’s minds.
