KARACHI, Feb 3: A large number of people, accompanied by their children, visited an annual fund-raising carnival organized by Friends of the SOS Children’s Village here on Sunday.

The Nisar Shaheed Park in Defence Housing Authority wore a festive look as children dressed in colourful clothes, played various games, purchased souvenirs and gifts and enjoyed food before leaving for their home.

Students from three elite schools — Karachi Grammar School, International School of Karachi, and the Lyceum — had volunteered to help the organizers in managing art and crafts outlets, various other stalls, doing face painting, etc., proceeds from which would be spent on their less fortunate colleagues living at the SOS Children’s village.

A large number of SOS village inmates also had fun and enjoyed having joy rides on the occasion, which was third of the series.

The event organizer, Saba Obaid, giving details said that last year the carnival had generated over Rs1.8 million. “There are corporate donors and philanthropists, who contribute to meet the annual expenses of the SOS Village, totalling around Rs4 million a year,” she added.

She said there were around 120 children, aged between four and 18 years in the village. Ten children lived in a “home”, with a “mother” to look after them.

“Girls are kept at the village till their wedding, while boys after reaching the age of adolescence are shifted to the Youth Home, which is also a part of the SOS Village. They are looked after till they finished their education and found a suitable job,” she said.

A village comprises ten to 15 homes, a school, dispensary, workshop, grocery shop, playground, and mosque. The children, besides getting education, also participate in scouting, girl guide activities, attend cooking, sewing and art classes, etc.

Ms Obaid said there were 22 villages across the country. The first village was established over a quarter century back in Lahore.

The government, she said, provides land for the village, while rest of the expenditure of construction etc., is generated through donations.

She said the SOS Children’s Villages of Pakistan was affiliated with the Austria-based SOS Kinderdorf International, which being one of the largest child welfare organization, had established over 1,500 projects including schools, medical centres, agricultural projects, vocational training centres etc, mostly in Asia, Africa and South America.

She said the holding of the carnival was not only meant for raising funds but it also help to provide an opportunity for these children to entertain and interact with other children.