SOS Children’s Village Seoul was built in 1980 and is located on the western edge of the capital. Seoul is the country’s largest city; it has over 10 million inhabitants. Like many other big cities, Seoul has to face a lot of social problems. High unemployment rates and poverty have negative impacts on families, increasing the number of social orphans. Abandoned and orphaned children find a new home at SOS Children’s Village Seoul. The SOS Children’s Village consists of 15 family houses, a community house, an administrative building, the Village Director’s house, the aunts’ (family helpers’) house and a communal bath, which is typical of Korea.
All the children from SOS Children’s Village Seoul attend schools in the neighbourhood. In 1988, an SOS Youth Village for 30 boys has opened in Seoul. Teenagers usually move to the SOS Youth Facility while they are still doing their vocational training or continuing their schooling. For them, this move represents a first step towards independence. The SOS Social Centre, which is located on the site of the SOS Children’s Village, was opened in 1982 and offers programmes of further education, lectures and other activities. It includes a day-care centre for children of working mothers. The children receive a meal every day. The SOS Social Centre has contributed a lot towards the acceptance of the SOS Children’s Village by the local population.