World Orphan Week
The resilience of children who have lost their parents is truly inspiring. Despite challenges, they can still find hope and joy in life.
Activate corporate giving and volunteer engagement during World Orphan Week by partnering with SOS Children's Villages to raise awareness and funds for orphaned children globally.
- Share stories of resilience: spotlight how orphaned children overcome adversity with proper support
- Corporate matching campaigns: encourage employee donations and volunteer hours during the first week of March
- Educational content: explain the role of organizations like SOS Children's Villages in providing family-based care alternatives
- Call-to-action for sponsorships: promote long-term child sponsorship programs that provide education and medical care
World Orphan Week began in 2005 by the SOS Children’s Villages UK. SOS Children’s Villages is known as the largest charity organization that aims to support orphaned and abandoned children and throughout many of its sister organizations in 125 countries, SOS Children’s Villages UK works with these children to give them a home, family, and access education and medical care.
World Orphan Week originally began in October before moving into February in 2009. The holiday ran for four years until the holiday went on hiatus. The event then resurfaced in 2018, gaining traction and popularity.
The holiday aims to support orphaned children by giving people the opportunity to learn more about SOS Children’s Villages. The relaunch of the holiday marked the 50th anniversary of the organization’s existence. SOS Children’s Villages works with over 80,000 children in more than 570 communities around the world.
World Orphan Week hopes to teach people about how they can sponsor a child or a village, make a donation to the organization, or donate supplies and money in events of emergency and natural disaster. On this day, people take the opportunity to learn about the children they’re helping and give back and help those in need.