Nandasiri Ponnamperuma appointed as a Board of Director of SOS Children’s Villages International

Mr. Nandasiri Ponnamperuma, President of the National Board of SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka, was recently elected to the newly formed International Board of SOS Children’s Villages. Mr. Ponnamperuma’s appointment was made official during the 23^rd Ordinary General Assembly of SOS Children’s Villages International, held recently in Vienna, Austria.

The International Board’s 13 newly elected members, all of whom volunteered for the position, replace the former International Senate. Selected from among 138 member associations worldwide to serve on the newly formed International Board, Mr. Ponnamperuma will represent the Asian region alongside a second representative from Nepal. His appointment reflects SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing child rights and protection on a broader scale. Mr. Ponnamperuma’s appointment will contribute to ensuring long-term sustainability and accountability, overseeing executive leadership, and guiding future planning for the organisation.

Bringing together delegates from SOS Children’s Villages’ member associations worldwide, the event highlighted potential reforms to ensure no child grows up alone. The Board comprises two representatives from each of the six global regions. Additionally, there is another appointed member from Austria in honour of the organization’s founding legacy. As the first International Board, it will serve as the organisation’s supervisory body, guiding its global mission to protect lives worldwide. In that capacity, it will assist the General Assembly in implementing strategic oversight and cross-border collaboration to support every child and young person without parental care or at risk of losing it in 138 countries and member associations.   

Discussing the appointment, Mr. Ponnamperuma said, “It is a great privilege for me to have been elected to the International Board of SOS Children’s Villages. SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka has transformed thousands of young lives. It has not only given children without parental care a safe home and education, but also the love and emotional support they deserve. As I step into this new role, my vision is to strengthen our global efforts so that every child, everywhere, can grow up with love, security, and hope for a brighter future. I invite everyone to continue supporting this noble mission and to encourage others to join us in making a lasting difference in the lives of children.”

Speaking about the achievement, Mr. Divakar Ratnadurai, National Director, SOS Children’s Villages, and Sri Lanka added, “This is a proud and significant milestone for SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka and Asia. Mr. Ponnamperuma’s election brings our national commitment to the global stage and reinforces our shared vision of a world where every child grows up in a loving family environment.”

For more than four decades, SOS Children’s Villages Sri Lanka has supported and facilitated family-based care for those who have lost parental care and are at risk of losing it. More than 4,000 children in Sri Lanka have benefited from one or more of the programmes offered by the organization in 37 projects island-wide.  For more information, visit www.soschildrensvillages.lk.