New Delhi, 21 May, 2025: Vulnerable families across India, whose primary earners are often daily wage workers, have been able to stabilise and steadily increase their monthly incomes through SOS Children’s Villages India’s Family Strengthening Programme (FSP). Families associated with the programme for five years have successfully increased their incomes by up to 322%.

The Family Strengthening Programme is currently operational in 28 locations across 22 states, reaching rural and urban areas alike. Since its launch in 2003, the programme has supported families across the country, positively impacting children and caregivers.

A flagship initiative of the organisation, FSP takes a preventive approach to ensure children grow up with their families of origin rather than in institutional care. The programme works by empowering women caregivers, promoting economic independence, resilience and building an ecosystem of support around vulnerable families.

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Said Mr. Sumanta Kar, CEO, SOS Children’s Villages India “Women supported by our Family Strengthening Programme (FSP) have shown remarkable confidence and independence, significantly contributing to household income and decision-making. Strengthened Self Help Groups now maintain a corpus of INR 5–7 lakhs, and every family has access to banking. School enrollment is universal among supported children, with zero dropouts, and families now manage their children’s education and nutrition independently. Regular health check-ups, health camps, and ration support are part of our holistic intervention. Bal Panchayats further nurture leadership among children, encouraging their active participation in awareness and community development activities.”

He added, “In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, SOS India believes the family is the fundamental unit of society and the best environment for the growth and well-being of all members, especially children. We support urban and rural families at risk of breakdown due to socio-economic challenges, enabling them to raise their children in safe, nurturing homes. Our holistic model includes income generation, education, youth employability, healthcare, and access to government schemes. In 2024 alone, we reached 72,616 individuals, including 32,924 children and young people.”

About the Family Strengthening Programme (FSP)

The FSP identifies vulnerable children and young people (ages 5–12) at risk of losing parental care through field visits, community outreach, and collaboration with local authorities. Beneficiaries are selected based on structured face to face assessments and are then hand-held to develop five-year Family Development Plans.

The programme supports sustainable livelihoods such as petty shops, tailoring, livestock rearing, and vending-based on skills, capital needs, and market demand. Self Help Groups (SHGs) play an active role in planning and monitoring, child safeguarding, health, nutrition and education, while youth aged 17+ are provided certified vocational training through partner institutions and are supported with employment placement.

By enabling steady income generation, vocational skilling, and access to Government schemes, FSP helps communities build resilience. The programme continues to grow, aiming to reach more underserved populations across India.

About SOS Children’s Villages India

Established in 1964, SOS Children’s Villages India provides children without parental care or at the risk of losing it a value chain of quality care services that goes beyond childcare alone, ensuring comprehensive child development. Our customised care interventions, such as Family Like Care, Family Strengthening, Kinship Care, Short Stay Homes, Foster Care, Youth Skilling, Emergency Childcare, and Special Needs Childcare are aimed at transforming lives and enabling children under our care into self-reliant and contributing members of society. The organisation empowers vulnerable families in communities to become financially independent, enabling them to create safe and nurturing spaces for children under their care. Today, over 6,500 children live in more than 440 family homes inside 32 SOS Children’s Villages, in 22 States/UTs, from Srinagar to Cochin and Bhuj to Shillong. They are lovingly cared for and nurtured by SOS Mothers and Aunts. As India’s most extensive self-implementing childcare NGO, SOS Children’s Villages India has empowered over 65,000 children annually, positively impacting over 83000 lives.  

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