Sunganani, which means "look after each other" was the first child to be admitted to SOS Children's Village Blantyre in Malawi. At just one month old, little Sunganani found a home, a family and a mum - all on the same day! 

The arrival of the contented little bundle was heralded by the sound of horn as a car approached the village. Sunganani's arrival at the village was typical for those who now live at the village. Upon the first toot of the horn everyone in the village gathers at the village gates to welcome the new arrival. As the sound of the horn gets louder and the car draws nearer, the smiling people break into songs of welcome and delight.

Soon, the car slowly drives into the village and comes to a halt. Quiet now, so as not to overwhelm the child, the crowd draws back while the village director, Ken Sakala, steps forward to give Sunganani a hug. Sunganani's SOS mother proudly introduces her new son to her friends, colleagues and the other little children who now call the village home.

Sunganani and his mum then retire to the family house so she can introduce him to his new brothers and sisters. Ken Sakala and his colleagues have already taken care to assure that Sunganani will have a family with both brothers and sisters of various ages. If he had already had a brother or sister, he/she would have joined the same house - SOS Children's Villages never separate siblings.

As the village father leaves the family so they have time to get to know each other better, a colleague comments to him, "Remember, the buildings are not alive without the children."

By the end of the first week of November, 28 children had found a secure and loving permanent home and family at SOS Children's Village Blantyre.

Of course, bringing children to the village does not always go smoothly. The children need time to adjust to their new environment and families and it is natural that this adjustment takes time. Many of the children have some very basic adjustments to make - it might be the first time that they have had access to a decent and healthy diet. It might be the first time that they have been shown love and affection.

The women who have been trained as SOS mothers and their supportive colleagues will be able to guide and support all the children who come to live in the village and treat them as individuals.

Ken Sakala, the village director, sums up his feelings about his responsibilities: "I recall the day when the first child was admitted to the village. I was very excited. I knew, as a father to these children, that I was responsible for looking after their souls. I realised that my real work as an SOS Children's Village director had really begun."