SOS Children's Villages Builds Innovative Shelters to House Families in Haiti

WASHINGTON, May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SOS Children's Villages, a global organization dedicated to providing family-based services for children without parental care, announced today the construction of "Global Village Shelters" in the SOS Children's Village in Santo, Haiti near Port-au-Prince. With the goal of providing stability and security for years to come, the polypropylene shelters' primary function will be to house families of eight to 10 children and their SOS mothers, enabling the organization to continue providing quality care to the over 500 children who have found refuge at the Santo Village since January's devastating earthquake.

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Global Village Shelters set a new standard for mid-term emergency housing. Unlike temporary tent or tarp setups, the Global Village Shelters are rigid, fully enclosed structures, complete with doors and windows. The 226-square-foot shelters will function as single-family homes or larger community facilities. Smaller 67-square-foot shelters will be used as showers and latrines.  As the rainy season of Haiti descends, the shelters will remain dry and secure and are intended for three to five years of use.

"Housing is the most critical need for all Haitians as the heavy rains begin," said Heather Paul, CEO of SOS Children's Villages – USA. "Since the earthquake, our Santo Village has tripled the number of children in its care. That's why it is even more critical that as the search continues for biological relatives, we provide shelters that are a wonderful option for children who have lost not only homes, but family. These children, above all, deserve a safe, dry haven after such a storm."

These shelters can be easily erected by relief workers, making them all the more critical as Haiti heads into its rainy season. Similar emergency shelters have been used in Pakistan, Honduras, Guatemala, and Grenada.

For more than 30 years, SOS Children's Villages has had a presence in Haiti. Through its Villages in Santo and Cap Haitien as well as numerous family strengthening programs, SOS has helped over 40,000 families in Haiti since the earthquake.  For more information on SOS Children's Villages, please visit www.sos-usa.org.

About SOS Children's Villages

For 60 years, SOS Children's Villages has been providing family-based care for children without parental care and social services for families at risk.  Through its SOS Children's Villages, Family Strengthening Programs, and other initiatives, SOS impacts the lives of over 1 million people each year. In 2009, SOS Children's Villages received the Save the World Award. SOS has also received numerous honors including the Mother Teresa Gold Medal, the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, and the Vietnam Friendship Medal.  For more information about SOS Children's Villages, visit www.sos-usa.org.

SOURCE SOS Children's Villages - USA