Child Sponsorship background from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

SOS Children's Village Los Jardines Del Norte, Santo Domingo

Today, almost a third of the Dominicans live in Santo Domingo. The important harbour on the south coast of the Dominican Republic is the country's economic and administrative heart and is also a university centre. There is an ever-growing number of tourists who arrive at the international airport of Santo Domingo every year.

SOS Children's Village Los Jardines del Norte is situated in the north-western part of Santo Domingo, on a building site which was put at the disposal of SOS Children's Villages by the Dominican Government. SOS Children's Village Los Jardines del Norte went into operation in January 1981 and was officially inaugurated in October 1982 in the presence of several local and international representatives of the SOS Children's Villages' organization.

Today, SOS Children's Village Los Jardines del Norte consists of 15 family houses, the village director's house, the aunts' (family helpers') house and an administration and service area.

SOS Children's Village Los Jardines del Norte also houses the Dominican SOS National Office. The children from the SOS Children's Village attend the public primary and secondary schools of the neighbourhood. Many of them attend the SOS School in SOS Children's Village Los Mina, travelling there by bus every day. In the SOS Children's Village, the children can be given extra tuition by the teaching staff.

Other SOS Projects in Los Jardines Del Norte

Youths from both SOS Children's Villages in Santo Domingo move to one of the four SOS Youth Homes (two for boys and two for girls) in the city once they leave the village. These SOS Youth Homes are apartments where young people live together and gradually prepare for independent living under the care of a youth supervisor.

Background to Los Jardines Del Norte

Santo Domingo, or Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 2,253,437 in 2006. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River.