World Orphan Week (WOW) began in the UK in 2005. It is a week developed to raise awareness for the needs of orphaned and abandoned children around the world. World Orphan Week is a week for groups and individuals to volunteer their time and fundraise to support programs that can support these children in need.
This event is growing in popularity with launches in the UK, the USA and this year in Canada. In the United Kingdom, WOW 2009 took place from February 9–15, and in The United States WOW 2008 took place from October 5–11. SOS Children's Villages - USA is also holding an online video contest called "WOW Us" to promote World Orphan Week 2008. This year, SOS Children's Villages Canada is preparing its first major launch of World Orphan Week in Canada, set for October 2008.
SOS Children's Villages is inviting schools, community groups, individuals and anyone interested to form their own fundraisers for this event.