About 5000 children, drawn from over 25 institutions and rehabilitation centres working for the betterment of the handicapped children, attended the programme, which was organized jointly by noted social worker Jimmy Engineer and the Pakistan Hotels Association.
The event started with a walk by the special children led by Jimmy Engineer, PHA chief Syed Arshad Ali and Ilyas Kashtiwala of the amusement park.
Over one hundred special children had also come from Dadu district to attend the programme.
The function — coinciding with the International White Cane Safety Day on Oct 15 — was earlier scheduled to be held on Monday, but had to be postponed due to Shab-i-Mairaj and the prevailing city situation.
All the fun rides in the amusement park were free for the children, who formed queues in a disciplined manner, and waited patiently for their turn.
Some of the comparatively more popular rides among the children were the train, ferris wheel, balloon race, golden flight, etc.
Besides, a stage show was organized in which artiste Farzana Naz performed. A music teacher at the Ida Rieu School for the Blind and Deaf, Salim Qureshi, and two students of the institution, Zainab Waheed and Tasneem Maqbool, also presented songs and enthralled the audience. A large number of handicapped children danced along with many cartoon characters.
The organizers with the help of various caterers, hotels and restaurants had also arranged free food — pizzas, sandwiches, biscuits, burgers, kabab rolls, etc — and ice creams, cold drinks, etc, for the children.
Some staff members of the organizations, who had accompanied the handicapped children, however invaded the food stalls, grabbed the food items and filled up their bags, while the children remained disciplined and waited for their turn at the food stalls.
Jimmy Engineer and Syed Arshad Ali said they were happy to see the handicapped children enjoying, and added that they would also organize similar functions, particularly for the senior citizens, so that the less-privileged could also have fun and enjoy life.
It was for the first time that such a large number of special children was provided with an opportunity to have a real fun by riding on various kinds of swings and machines and to have a taste of different food delicacies, adds APP.
It was a delightful scene to see the special children making joyous shouts.
The PHA president Syed Arshad Ali said the association had decided to join hands with Jimmy Engineer with the objective that we should live for others, particularly for those whom we call “special.”
The organizations who are working for the rehabilitation of special children and were invited to the Funland included Al- Umeed, Darul Sukoon, SOS Village, Dewa, Al-Shifa Trust, ABSA, Ida Rieu, SCINOSA, Vocational Training Centre for Disabled Children, Shaheed-i-Millat Special Education Centre for Visually- Handicapped Children, Quaideen Special Education Centre for Mentally-retarded Children, Karachi Vocational Training Centre, Ujala, Parents’ Voice, Institute of Behaviour Problems, Ma- Ayesha. ACELP, Prewa and Edhi House.
The special children at the Funland were treated as chief guest and accorded VVIP treatment.