Skopje, 20 March 2024 (MIA) - SOS Children's Village - Macedonia fosters 180 children and has 86 foster families, president of management board Aleksandar Trajkovski told MIA on Wednesday at annual event for awarding recognition to the biggest donors and supporters for 2023.

Event patron, the First Lady Elizabeta Gjorgievska, said that the list of all business entities, institutions, individuals who have long recognized the activities of SOS Children's Village and selflessly offered their support is impressive.

"The results that SOS Children's village achieves for the care of at-risk children and their support, through a family model for alternative care for children, and various programs for social prevention, is based on wholehearted support from friends and donors. After all, we are all part of one family where we care for every member equally, solidary and humane, caring and noble. I hope this family continues to expand and grow," Gjorgievska said.

SOS Children's Village's National Director Juliana Gapo highlighted results achieved in 2023 and the new projects and initiatives for this year.

"In 2023 we helped more than 700 children, young people, parents and fosters. Three hundred and eighty-six children and their parents continued living together with polished parenting skills and improved childcare conditions. Every day we offer support to 86 foster families so they can give their best versions of themselves as foster parents. Two hundred and three children and youth, without parental care, grow up in a warm home and a caring family with love and security. Seventy-four young people at social risk completed life skills training, employability and career counselling. Some have also gained their first work experience through practical work or taken up employment and started contributing to society independently," Gapo stressed.

She added that there are 27 new foster families.

"We prepared a program for specialized care because we realized that the number of admission requests for children with disabilities is increasing. We've provided training for caregivers and social work professionals, and we've lobbied for a systemic principle in working with children and youth who have suffered major trauma, because in recent years there have been indications that a lot of children have suffered traumatic experiences in their past, and in order for them to continue living as healthy individuals they need a lot of professional support and contribution from all stakeholders," Gapo noted.

Deputy Ambassador of Austria, Barbara Gruber, stated that SOS Children's Village was founded in 1949 by Australian medical student Hermann Gmeiner.

"Today it supports children and young people without parental care or those at risk of losing it, in 138 countries, and since 2002 in the Republic of North Macedonia as well," Gruber added. ssh/sk/

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