The founder of SOS Children's Villages, Hermann Gmeiner, was Austrian. As a result of the misery of children without parental care in post-war Austria, Hermann Gmeiner founded our organisation in Imst, Tyrol. In the following decades, the organisation grew both within Austria and abroad. At present SOS Children's Villages is supporting children, young people and families throughout Austria.
The SOS Children's Village of Pinkafeld, in the province of Burgenland, was founded in 1962. Surrounded by fruit-trees, it is situated on a hill on the outskirts of Pinkafeld. The children attend the local schools. Nearby are several secondary schools, vocational training colleges, technical colleges and a number of small firms.
The SOS Children's Village consists of 13 family houses. Besides the family houses there is a Community Centre, a Village Director's House and a kindergarten, where children of the surroundings are also looked after. The teenagers live at the SOS Youth Facility which is situated near the SOS Children's Village. A few years ago, a Home for Retired Mothers was also established at the SOS Children's Village where retired SOS mothers enjoy their retirement without losing touch with life at the SOS Children's Village.
