History
Fondation Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf (SOS Kannerduerf Lëtzebuerg)
In 1968, the non-profit organisation Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf founded the SOS Children's Village in Mersch. Here the first children were accommodated in SOS Children's Villages. The main mission of the Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf Foundation, founded in 1973, is to ensure that children have a protective home and a stable environment.
| Year | Activity |
|---|---|
| 1961 | Mr. Marcel Nilles discovers the idea of an "SOS Children's Village" in Imst (Tyrol). The first SOS Children's Village was established in Imst in 1949. |
| 1963 | Creation of l'"asbl Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf". |
| 1964 | The municipal council of Mersch decides to support the construction of an SOS Children's Village in the municipality and to make land available. |
| 1968 | Celebration of the grounbreaking of the first three houses. Foundation of "Frënn vum Kannerduerf". SOS Children's Village Luxembourg welcomes professional SOS Children's Villages families. It is a formula which evolves continually with society. |
| 1972 | Second phase of construction - 4 houses. |
| 1973 | Creation "Fondation Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf". |
| 1976 | Third phase of construction - 2 houses. |
| 1980 | Construction of “Centre administratif et éducatif”. |
| 1985 | The first residential group for young people is created: the Foyer Cales in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie. The Weicker House in Hamm is made available to young adults. |
| 1986 | The "pre-vocational training" for young people starts at the SOS Children's Village in Mersch. The "assisted living service" for young adults is offered in several flats in the north, centre and south of the country. |
| 1995 | The Foyer Leir in Luxembourg-Bonnevoie can accommodate 9 young people. |
| 1999 | The children at the SOS Children's Village in Mersch are cared for in the framework of the project "animal assisted pedagogy". |
| 2005 | The residential group for children "Foyer du Nord" in Mersch offers space for 7 children. In 2017, the group moves into the newly built house 12 and increases its capacity. |
| 2008 | The foster care service "SPLAFA Esch" becomes part of the Lëtzebuerger Kannerduerf Foundation. The "Schneider Haff" in Alzingen is inaugurated on 13 October as a therapeutic social farm based on animal assisted pedagogy. |
| 2010 | The "SACCLY" (day and night care for pupils with special needs) opens in Erpeldingen (Ettelbruck). The "Antenne Familiale" is structured around three main areas of activity: foster family service, family strengthening service and psychological counselling service. |
| 2014 | Another residential group for children provides space for up to 8 children. In 2017, the group moved to the newly built House 11 premises and increased its capacity. |
| 2015 | The first short-term SOS Children's Village outpatient family starts its activities. |
| 2017 | Inauguration of the new buildings house 11 and house 12. Inauguration of the Therapeutic Hall: it houses an art therapy department and offers more space for the workshop and sales (second-hand shop) parts of the pre-professional training. |
| 2018 | Opening of the "Socio-therapeutic Centre KlickKlack" in the children's village in Mersch. Organisation of the first international conference on trauma pedagogy |
| 2019 | Opening of a residential therapy group for children and young people (6 children) in Gralingen (Grooljen). Art therapy is part of the educational-therapeutic programme. Creation of KaJuPa (Kanner- a Jugendparlament of SOS Children's Village Luxembourg) Creation of the position of delegate for the protection of the rights of children and young people of SOS Children's Village Luxembourg |
| 2021 | Launch of the project of music assisted pedagogy |
| 2023 | Launch of the experiential pedagogy |