We are not just an orphanage, we are a family.. A village.
ABOUT US
'Shamsa Children's Village is a home for orphaned or abandoned children and vulnerable women. The emphasis is on caring for the children and women in a permanent family environment.
We aim to give children the feeling of a real home. Each child becomes part of a 'family' of nine 'brothers and sisters' of all ages and an adoptive mother. They each live in a private home at the village designed to support large families with many children. Living in this way gives the children a safe place where they feel they belong, and gives them a sense of having something of their own, while encouraging normal sibling like attachments. Not only does this concept help orphans, but also helps vulnerable women who otherwise would have nowhere to go.
We have worked with the organisation PARSA training staff, ensuring that all social workers and “mothers” on staff are trained in the Healthy Afghan Child Program, and specifically in how to support children who have lost their families.'
Shamsa Children's Village was founded by Maryam Gailani, who always dreamt of doing something for her country if one day she returned from decades in exile. Inspired by a documentary by Nick Danzinger in the 90s it became her goal to help orphans escape dire conditions, and to give them homes of their own.
She started by helping the government orphanages but after discovering the SOS orphanage model, she knew that was the kind of home she wanted to create.
Her dream was made possible by many very generous private donors, and the Village is named after someone who really made the whole thing possible, and the wheels to begin turning.
It is a place that is organically growing, along with the children. At present there are over 100 children living in the village. Each with their own family, and their own adopted mother, not only does this concept help orphans, but also helps vulnerable women who otherwise would have nowhere to go.