Aldeas Infantiles SOS

What Aldeas Infantiles SOS does

Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica is a private, non-profit association founded in 1975 and affiliated with the global Aldeas Infantiles SOS federation (136 countries, 552 villages). It operates seven alternative care programs serving approximately 386 children and adolescents who have lost parental care, plus the YouthCan! employability program for over 400 vulnerable youth aged 15-24. Core programs include three residential villages (Tres Ríos, Limón, Santa Ana), the SOS Joven program for adolescents transitioning out of institutional care, the Programa Especializado SOS for high psychosocial needs, SOS Niñez for children aged 6-12, and YouthCan! for employability training. Specialized methodologies include Ready 4 Life, 360° YouthLab!, Hojas de Ruta (Roadmaps), and Escuela de Verano for transition-to-autonomy preparation.

The organization is funded through individual recurring donations (Amigo SOS, 7,000-100,000 CRC monthly), one-time donations, corporate partnerships via the Embajadas de la Niñez platform (25,000-100,000 CRC monthly), government subsidies from PANI, and formerly international federation subsidies that ceased in 2020. Donations are processed through BAC San José and Banco Nacional and are tax-deductible under Costa Rican Law 9635. Go-to-market relies on a multi-channel approach combining D2D/F2F canvassing, telemarketing, an online donation portal, corporate forums, and events including a golf tournament and webinars. Technology stack consists of social work case management with digital tracking systems, including the Good Gigs Platform under development with VMware Costa Rica.

Key strategic partners include McDonald's Costa Rica (lead YouthCan! ally via Gran Día), VMware (digital platform development and volunteering), Marriott (hotel internships for youth), INA (vocational certification), PANI (government oversight and referrals), BAC San José, Banco Nacional, and members of the Joining Forces Alliance. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors elected every three years, currently led by National Director Shirley Solano and Board President Giovanie Gracias, and holds UNESCO membership, UN Economic and Social Council advisory status, and multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominations at the federation level.

Name

Aldeas Infantiles SOS

Legal name

Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica

Website

https://aldeasinfantiles.or.cr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica is a non-profit association that provides residential alternative care and psychosocial support to approximately 386 children and adolescents who have lost parental care, plus employability training through its YouthCan! program for over 400 vulnerable youth aged 15-24 across Costa Rica.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Escazú

HQ country

Costa Rica

HQ region

Latin America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Recurring Donations (Amigo SOS): Monthly automatic charges to donors' credit or debit cards through BAC San José or Banco Nacional platforms. Donors can select preset monthly amounts (7,000–50,000 CRC) or custom amounts. These are the primary revenue stream supporting operational costs of residential programs.
2. One-time Individual Donations: Single donations accepted via credit/debit card (6,000–100,000 CRC preset options), SINPE MÓVIL (7076-8953), or bank transfer. These are used to fund specific program needs.
3. Corporate Partnerships (Embajadas de la Niñez): Monthly corporate donations (25,000–100,000 CRC) through the Embajadas de la Niñez platform. Includes corporate volunteering, event sponsorships, in-kind donations, and project-specific funding.
4. State Subsidies and Patronage: Patronato Nacional de la Infancia (PANI) provides a patrimonial benefit to cover part of the average cost of care. The organization receives regulatory oversight and institutional support from various state institutions.
5. International Subsidies: Previously received funds from Aldeas Infantiles SOS International (set to cease from 2020 onward, requiring increased national fundraising efforts).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica provides residential alternative care, family strengthening, and youth employability services for children and adolescents who have lost or are at risk of losing parental care. Programs are delivered through three residential villages (Tres Ríos, Limón, Santa Ana), four community-based programs for adolescents (SOS Joven, Programa Especializado SOS, Programa Juventudes, SOS Niñez), and the YouthCan! employability training program serving approximately 386 beneficiaries across 7 programs and over 400 youth annually.

Product overview

Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica operates a portfolio of child protection programs centered on residential care alternatives and youth empowerment. The core programs include Aldeas Infantiles SOS (residential care in three locations), YouthCan! (employability training), and SOS Joven/Programa Especializado SOS (adolescent care). These are supported by donation mechanisms (Amigo SOS monthly giving, single donations), corporate engagement through Embajadas de la Niñez, volunteer programs, and institutional partnerships. The organization also runs specialized initiatives like Casa SOS Creatividad and family strengthening programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YouthCan!: Employability training program for vulnerable youth aged 15-24 years, offering mentorship, life skills training, and internship opportunities with partner companies.
• SOS Joven
• Programa Especializado SOS
• Aldeas Infantiles SOS (Childcare Program)

Products and services

• Aldeas Infantiles SOS (Residential Villages) Residential alternative care providing safe, family-like environments for children and adolescents who have lost parental care or are at risk; delivered across three village locations in Tres Ríos (94 capacity), Limón (100 capacity), and Santa Ana (86 capacity), each with family-style houses, trained caregivers, and professional support teams. Focus areas include sibling strengthening (Tres Ríos), community-based arts and sports (Limón), and life project building for self-sufficiency (Santa Ana).
• YouthCan! Employability training program for vulnerable adolescents and youth aged 15-24, providing mentorship, life skills training, psychosocial support, technical certifications (e.g., steward kitchen certification through INA), and internship placements with partner companies including Marriott hotels and McDonald's. Includes the Ready 4 Life strategy, 360° YouthLab! experiential simulation, and Hojas de Ruta (Roadmaps) methodology. Currently serves 400+ participants annually at the Sabanilla, Montes de Oca training center; over 1,700 youth trained since 2013.
• SOS Joven Residential care alternative for adolescents aged 13-17 who have lost family care or lived in institutional protection, delivered through small community-based homes managed by formadores and technical teams. Two houses accommodating 20 women and 20 men in Curridabat and La Unión de Cartago; focus on life skills, technical training (hospitality, customer service, beauty, mechanics), and transition to independent living.
• Programa Especializado SOS Specialized program providing care and accompaniment for adolescents (20 women and 20 men) with high psycho-emotional complexities who have lost family care; located in Montes de Oca and La Unión de Cartago with focus on life projects, psychosocial support, and educational recovery.
• Programa de Fortalecimiento Familiar Family strengthening initiative designed to prevent family separation, providing psychoeducational sessions with a systemic, gender, and rights approach to promote positive parenting practices and stable care environments for children at risk of losing parental care.
• Casa SOS Creatividad Artistic expression and comprehensive development space inaugurated in 2025 at the Limón facility, dedicated to creative activities supporting the well-being and development of children, adolescents, and youth in residential care.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of children in family strengthening and alternative care programs break the cycle of negligent parental care as adults
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Moody's Costa RicaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 April 2026Moody's volunteers conducted a volunteering day at Aldea Infantil SOS Santa Ana focused on improving spaces and privacy of residential houses.
• AM Rosabal S.A.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 February 2026AM Rosabal S.A. donated new clothing valued at ₡11,362,178.78 for the well-being of children and adolescents in Aldeas Infantiles SOS residential programs.
• Persianas CanetminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 February 2026Persianas Canet donated 65 school supply kits to Aldeas Infantiles SOS in Tres Ríos, as part of their 'Luz que Abraza' project.
• Joining Forces AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance of six leading child-focused NGOs (ChildFund Alliance, Plan International, Save the Children, Aldeas Infantiles SOS, Terre des Hommes, World Vision) advocating for children's rights and producing the 'Child Rights Now!' report.
• Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN Costa Rica)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGAN Costa Rica partnered with Aldeas Infantiles SOS to deliver the 'Strategic Skills Development for Employability' project during COVID-19, providing virtual workshops to 22 youth.
• Global Shapers San José Hub (GSSJ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGSSJ members delivered 10 virtual workshops on topics including emotional intelligence, empathy, leadership, critical thinking, assertive communication, and growth mindset.
• Movistar Costa RicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMovistar, a member of GAN in Costa Rica, provided unlimited internet phone lines to 22 YouthCan! beneficiaries enabling their participation in virtual training sessions.
• Youth Career Initiative (YCI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYCI works with NGOs and hotels worldwide to offer vulnerable youth opportunities to develop skills and experience for careers in the hospitality sector. Partnered with Marriott hotels for YouthCan! internships.
• Marriott Costa Rica (Costa Rica Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, AC Hotel by Marriott)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour 5-star Marriott hotels in Costa Rica provide internship placements for YouthCan! participants as kitchen stewards, with rotation through operational and administrative areas. Providing mentorship, HR support, and potential for career advancement.
• McDonald's Costa Rica (Arcos Dorados Costa Rica)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMcDonald's is the main corporate ally of YouthCan! through the 'Gran Día' initiative, which provides training and opportunities for vulnerable youth. This initiative has been expanded to Peru, Colombia, and Mexico.
• Instituto Nacional de Aprendizaje (INA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerINA provides vocational training courses for YouthCan! participants, including steward kitchen certification with courses in food handling, kitchen warehouse management, tourism, and gastronomy.
• VMware Costa RicacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVMware has provided over 2 years of ongoing volunteering support, training in YouthCan!, developing the Good Gigs digital platform, and supporting infrastructure improvements at Aldeas villages. Part of VMware's Service Learning program.
• PANI (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia)coreOthersGovernment child welfare institution that refers children to Aldeas programs, provides regulatory oversight, and grants a patrimonial benefit to cover part of the average cost of care. Supervises all operations.
• Claro Costa RicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerClaro Costa Rica, in alliance with Aldeas Infantiles SOS, trained 11 caregivers at the Santa Ana village on the proper use of social media and the internet for child protection.
• LANCOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLANCO painted 10 residential homes in the Aldea Infantil SOS Santa Ana program, improving the living environment for 87 children and adolescents as part of their corporate social responsibility program.
• Fundación Dibujando un MañanaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation partnered with Aldeas Infantiles SOS on the 'Tú puedes ayudar 2020-2021' project promoting gender equality, with activities for adolescent women and men, and capacity building for technical teams and direct care staff.
• Fundación Quirós TanziminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonor foundation supporting the 'Tú puedes ayudar' gender equality project.
• Bosch Costa RicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate ally providing CSR support and presence at the 2019 YouthCan! corporate forum, contributing to youth employability initiatives.
• DHL Costa RicaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate ally contributing to youth employability initiatives and present at the 2019 YouthCan! corporate forum.
• CINDE (Coalición de Iniciativas de Desarrollo)

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ChildFund International: International child welfare NGO operating sponsorship and community development programs for vulnerable children; co-member of the Joining Forces Alliance with Aldeas Infantiles SOS.
• Plan International: Global child rights and gender equality NGO with sponsorship and youth employability programs across Latin America; also a Joining Forces Alliance member.
• SOS Children's Villages International: Global parent federation of which Aldeas Infantiles SOS Costa Rica is a member; operates the same residential-village and youth employability model across 136 countries. Directly comparable on mission, programs, and donor base.
• Terre des Hommes: International children's rights NGO focused on child protection and youth programs; Joining Forces Alliance member with similar advocacy and program model.
• World Vision International: Child sponsorship and community development NGO with extensive operations in Latin America; comparable on funding model (child sponsorship/Embajadas-style) and child welfare mission.
• Save the Children: One of the largest child welfare NGOs worldwide, with a strong Central America presence and youth employability focus; Joining Forces Alliance member.

Regional players

• Fundación Paniamor: Costa Rican child rights foundation focused on child protection, family strengthening, and policy advocacy; comparable regional NGO focused on preventing child rights violations.
• PANI (Patronato Nacional de la Infancia): Costa Rican government child welfare agency that supervises Aldeas Infantiles SOS and refers children to its programs; overlap on mission and beneficiary base, though government rather than NGO.

Emerging players

• Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro (similar LATAM programs): Comparable youth employability/apprenticeship programs across Latin America (e.g., Mexico's Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro); competitors and partners for the YouthCan! model in the regional youth-employment space.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF Costa Rica: UN agency overseeing child rights in Costa Rica with significantly broader scope and funding; provides regulatory and partnership overlap (UN ESOC advisor status) and competes for the same donor and government funding pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AldeasSOSCR
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtrjekuAECs1OsyN9NejSiQ?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/aldeassoscostarica
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aldeasinfantilessoscr
• Instagraminstagram.com/aldeasinfantilescr
• TikToktiktok.com/@aldeasinfantilessos

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aldeas Infantiles SOS