As we begin this new year, we would like to express our heartfelt thanks for standing by us in 2025 and helping to build a better world for children. Current events are urgent and full of challenges, but thanks to you and your wonderful spirit of solidarity, we remain committed wherever vulnerable children need us most.
Thanks to its donors and partners, in 2025 SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde supported more than 60,800 vulnerable children, young people and adults, as well as 37,000 other direct beneficiaries and community or state actors through 15 projects in 27 countries.
Following The Color Run™ 2025, sponsored by Baloise, the impressive sum of €5,661 has just been handed over to Sophie Glesener, Director of SOS Children’s Villages World, in the presence of the event’s initiators: Erich François, head of step by step SA, and Dr Christine Theodorovics, CEO of Baloise Luxembourg. The friendly handover ceremony took place in Leudelange at the insurance company’s premises, attended by members of their respective teams and volunteers who managed the Colour Stations during the joyful run.
Back in 2013, SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde received its first donation on the occasion of the very first Color Run in Luxembourg – a fun-filled event inspired by the famous Indian spring festival, Holi, which was already being held in around 200 cities at the time. Every summer until 2019, the race brought its vibrant colours to the shores of Echternach Lake, with the Luxembourg association benefiting from the proceeds to support its projects in Ethiopia.
After a few years’ absence, the “happiest run in the world” made its big comeback in Luxembourg, this time in the capital, near the P+R Stade de Luxembourg, with a new title sponsor, Baloise. On 14 September, the event brought together 2,436 runners of all ages and backgrounds in a cheerful atmosphere, sharing a wonderful moment of conviviality and enjoying the most festive 5 km under a shower of colours (eco-friendly, of course!) that rained down after each kilometre on the delighted participants. Last but not least, the run was followed by a lively Colour Party.
Beyond its festive nature, the event was all about solidarity. Following the run, the organisers, step by step SA and Baloise, invited representatives of SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde, including its Director Sophie Glesener, on 12 November for a friendly get-together and the presentation of a cheque for €5,661. This generous amount includes €4,872 in fixed donations linked to registration (the organiser pledged to donate €2 per runner), plus an additional €789 in spontaneous contributions made by the runners themselves.
On behalf of the SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde team, Sophie Glesener warmly thanked the organising teams, volunteers and participants for this wonderful show of generosity towards vulnerable children around the world supported by the association. Currently, it is active in 15 countries through 27 projects in the fields of education, development, emergency aid and resilience: “We are delighted to receive this very generous donation for children and young people who need it so much. Thank you to each and every one of you. And thank you for keeping such events alive, where sport joyfully rhymes with sharing, solidarity, diversity and inclusion in a world that is particularly scarred and troubled.
Dr Christine Theodorovics commented: “At Baloise, we believe that performance only truly matters when it goes hand in hand with a positive and human impact. I am proud to support an event like the Color Run, where energy, joy and solidarity come together to bring colour to the lives of those who need it most. This kind of initiative perfectly reflects our conviction that, together, we can combine well-being, commitment and social responsibility.”
And the step by step SA team concluded by warmly thanking all participants for helping to support this wonderful event in aid of vulnerable children around the world..
Published on 11.09.2025
As part of a long-standing partnership, SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde and Auchan Retail Luxembourg, with the support of Nhood Luxembourg and Iko Real Estate, are once again joining forces for the back-to-school season to launch their major fundraising and awareness campaign. In 2025, the initiative will focus on supporting children in southern Ethiopia The campaign will run from 11 to 27 September across all three Auchan hypermarkets (Kirchberg, Opkorn Differdange and Cloche d’Or), their respective shopping galleries, as well as the Auchan Drive locations throughout the country. In each of these places, everyone will have the opportunity to show their generosity.
In keeping with a sustainable approach, this year’s back-to-school campaign will once again support highly vulnerable families in Borena, in the Oromia region.This area in southern Ethiopia is being severely affected by the impacts of climate change. Prolonged droughts, floods, as well as health and food crises are placing extreme pressure on communities, with children being particularly affected by malnutrition.
A new multi-year project, focused on nutrition, humanitarian development, and peace, aims to address the complex and interconnected challenges of food insecurity, malnutrition, fragile livelihoods, and conflict in the Borena area, with a particular focus on the Moyale woreda. The project prioritises nutrition-specific interventions, especially for children under the age of five and pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Solidarity action – practical details
From 11 to 27 September, everyone can support the solidarity campaign at the checkout in any of the three Auchan hypermarkets across the country, as well as at Auchan Drive locations:
● by adding an amount of their choice to their shopping total, ● by donating part of their loyalty savings via the Auchan card, ● or by purchasing one of the solidarity products available in the school supplies section (for each item sold, €1 will be donated to SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde).
In addition, SOS donation boxes will be placed in selected shops within the Kirchberg and Opkorn Differdange shopping centres, giving customers the opportunity to show their generosity and learn more about SOS projects during SOS Villages d’Enfants Monde’s “Solidarity Saturdays”, which will feature activities for children.
Join us on 13 September at Shopping Center Kirchberg, 20 September at Shopping Center Opkorn Differdange or 27 September at Shopping Center Cloche d’Or!
Published on 8.04.2025
For a week, SOS Children’s Villages in Ethiopia‘s Hawassa Program Location, supported by the Borena Humanitarian Response Project funded by Luxembourg MFA, celebrated International Women’s Day across various segments of the community, under the 2025 theme: “Accelerate Action for Gender Equality.”
At the community level, kebeles hosted vibrant gatherings that united women, men, and children. These events featured inspirational speeches, local performances, and interactive discussions emphasizing women’s rights and their essential role in community development.
Schools became lively centers of activity, with students and teachers actively taking part in the celebrations. Poems, debates, and creative competitions educated young minds about gender equality and the importance of empowering women. Students showcased their talents through art, poetry, and drama, reflecting on the theme and envisioning a future where gender equality prevails.
At the district level, large-scale events brought together diverse groups including government officials, local leaders, and NGO representatives. These gatherings fostered dialogue on policy advocacy and the implementation of effective strategies to support women’s empowerment. Keynote speakers shared insights on how collective efforts can lead to the creation of resilient communities, focusing on practical solutions and collaborative action.
Throughout the week, the Borena Humanitarian Response Project worked diligently to ensure the success of these celebrations. From meticulous planning to the execution of various activities, the project’s commitment to the cause was clear. The support from Luxembourg MFA was crucial in enabling these impactful events, showcasing international solidarity in the pursuit of gender equality.
By entering your e-mail address, you agree to receive our content sent by e-mail and you accept our confidentiality policy. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the unsubscribe links.
Manage consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional
Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
tatistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes.Storage or technical access which is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. In the absence of a subpoena, voluntary compliance by your Internet service provider or additional third-party records, information stored or retrieved for this sole purpose generally cannot be used to identify you.
Marketing
Technical access or storage is necessary to create user profiles in order to send advertisements, or to track the user on a website or on several websites with similar marketing purposes.
