S.O.S Children Village concept inspired by a benevolant man with immaculate heart. 23rd June 1919 marked the birth of professor Hermann Gmeiner at Albershirewendy, Austria. His mother passed on when he was only five leaving him under the care of his sister who was to at the time and his brothers. The children who had lost their parents particulorly due to 2nd world war too was his concern from his early ages. The world war 2 had rendered a scope of children parentless ophans and thousand. Other women widows. He found the situation same in his country as was experienced all over Europe. Where ophans and widows were found at every street corner. Having witnessed the plight of these widows and ophans the struggled to work out a modality to bring these people together and form a family. Initially as he had no money for the purpose he started writing appealing letters which was so powerful that they inspired many Austrians to contribute for the worthy course of caring for those destitude children a for providing them with a shelter and a love of a mother. There were few limes which he used to repeat often which reads as
“ It is the power generated
by the smaller wheels of the wind
mill that drive the larger wheels
to separate chaff from grain ’’
His hard toil rewordeed him as he was able to colleet one silling after another to a mass enough to build up houses to form his dream village. The firstever village of this nature of was set up in Imst, Austria and the passage of time saw the setting up of such villages in five continents including countries like Vietnam, India and Latin America. Professor Hermann Gmeiner was fondly called and known as father of ophans. Many all over the world still mourn the demise of Professor Hermann Gmeiner that took place in 1986. He was acclaimed for his Illustrious humane qualities for which he was confired with titles and awards by various countries of the world. Helmut kutin coting who was brought up in one of these S.O.S Villages succeeded Professor Hermann Gmeiner as the chairman of the organization.
