SOS Children in Serbia and Montenegro
The union of Serbia and Montenegro was voted into existence by the Yugoslav parliament in February 2003 and Yugoslavia formally ceased to exist. Years of conflict and international isolation have left the government with huge challenges in coping with its social caseload. Household poverty has been increasing and family support systems have been under extreme pressure.
The charity began working in the former Yugoslavia in 1975 when an SOS Children’s Village was built in Sremska Kamenica near the border with Croatia, The SOS Children's Novi Sad site is in a park on the slopes of the Fruska Gora Mountain on the banks of the river Danube which separates the community from the city of Novi Sad. It has thirteen family houses which are home to over 150 children. The houses have been built in a circle around a fountain, and every house has its own garden which is tended by the SOS family. For the older children who have grown up in the village, SOS youth facilities have been established in Novi Sad where they can take their first guided steps towards an independent life outside the village.
During the war, the village youth house was used as a temporary home for children with disabilities enabling them to attend a nearby special needs school. This was later handed over to the local authorities who converted it into a social centre for children and young people. The village also suffered damage from the bombing and was later renovated.
In 2003, construction work began on a new community in Kraljevo in Central Serbia.
Local Contact
SOS Decje selo Novi Sad, Sremska Kamenica, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia and Montenegro tel +381/21/46 1177 e-mail contact@s0s-kd.org.yu
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