In recent weeks, record levels of flooding have wreaked havoc in the African Sahel region, with the United Nations warning that the situation could worsen. ⁣ ⁣ The unprecedented rainfall has destroyed homes, livestock and plantations across multiple countries such as Niger, which is already battling the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, widespread food insecurity, climate change and protracted conflicts. ⁣ ⁣ With recent estimates from the @WorldBank suggesting that the COVID-19 pandemic will increase the number of people living in extreme poverty by as much as 115 million, the accumulating effects of climate change may impoverish between 68 million and 132 million people in the coming decade. ⁣ ⁣ “Present in 47 countries on the African continent, SOS Children’s Villages’ mandate is all the more important at this time to ensure boys and girls, young women and young men are not ‘worse off’ once the crisis has passed,” says Fiona James, SOS Children’s Villages International Programme Director for West, North and Central Africa. ⁣ ⁣ “Robust data, the inclusion of children, young people and caregivers in the definition of our adapted way of programing is the only way for us to ensure relevance in providing a long-term response,” she says. ⁣ ⁣ #EndPoverty #COVID19 #SDGs #IDEP2020

On the International Day of the Girl Child, we recognize girls’ rights, the need to nurture their skills and to fight discrimination, exclusion and other challenges they still face worldwide. 👧 Get involved! Tag a girl that inspires you and share why. 😃 #InternationalDayoftheGirlChild #GirlChild #GirlsRights

“Children and families are faced with a ‘new normal’ requiring them to change behaviours to adapt. This requires that we also adapt our interventions” - Click on the link in bio to find out more about new remote interventions SOS Villaggi dei Bambini implemented with partners in countries around the world. ⁣ ⁣ @SOSItalia ⁣ ⁣ #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth #Family #Children #COVID19 #NewNormal

More than half of the children in Latin America experience domestic violence each year. In the world’s most violent region, emotional support is key to break the cycle of abuse. ⁣ ⁣ Marcela, a mother of three, fled domestic violence. Working with a therapist at SOS Children’s Villages Peru to deal with the emotional and physical trauma has allowed them to move forward with their lives. ⁣ ⁣ Read more about her story in the link in bio. ⁣ #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth ⁣#DomesticViolence #LatinAmerica ⁣@aldeassosperu ⁣ Illustration by: @mont_motion

“Therapy helped me identify the burning emotions from my childhood. Dealing with my past has helped me change my mind about myself and about life.” - Oba, 20, of Nigeria who grew up in SOS Children’s Villages. ⁣ ⁣ With his two younger brothers, they lived with a relative in a brothel in Lagos, Nigeria. It was a terrifying place for a child and Oba says he saw a lot that is hard to forget. ⁣ Read Oba’s full story in the link in bio. #WorldMentalHealth #MentalHealth

“Mental health is not the absence of illness, it is the sense of overall well-being.“ Leading up to World Mental Health Day on Saturday (October 10), SOS Children's Villages International will share stories and opinions on child and youth mental health. ⁣ ⁣ Read child psychologist Teresa Ngigi's OpEd on the impact of COVID-19 on child mental well-being in the Link in bio. ⁣ ⁣ #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth Illustration by: @mont_motion

"Living as a refugee can be very frustrating and stressful since you are never sure about your life and your future since other people are deciding for you. ⁣⁣ ⁣ "If you had asked me a year ago, I would have never thought that I would ever be able to study again. It has been a really hard journey since I tried to study here. I have faced many challenges and I am making myself ready for the ones that I will face.⁣⁣ ⁣ "Here in Greece I desire to continue and finish what I have started. By being in school in this situation and seeing other kids, I start to feel a little normal again which helps me forget about my life in the camp or what I have been through. "⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 𝘒𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘩, 𝟷𝟽, 𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘓𝘦𝘴𝘷𝘰𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘐𝘳𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘦𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘖𝘚 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘝𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘛𝘦𝘱𝘦. 𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘐𝘛, 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ Read Kourosh's full story in the 🔗 link in bio. #Greece #Lesvos #Education #Children #Youngpeople #BetterFuture