Target Sponsored Schools ~ A Visit to The Zoo by HOPE

June 18th,2014. It was a historic day for the young students of Target sponsored HOPEan NGO in Pakistan, home schools located at Rehri Goth, the outer, eastern periphery of the sprawling city of Karachi. About an hour's drive from the city centre but a world removed for the students of Rehri Goth. The students totaling exactly 100, never in their wildest dreams ever visualized going to the Karachi Zoo ~ and their happiness knew no bounds when they were told of the anticipated trip.

HOPE, an educational NGO in Pakistan arranged two buses, made reservations at the zoo, arranged for refreshments and meals for the students and the organizers and gave strict instructions to work within a timeline so that they could return back to Rehri Goth within daylight hours and be collected by their parents or a responsible next of kin.

It all began with the children boarding the buses at 10.00 am. The journey to the western part of the city was tedious, coping with the last of the morning rush hour of a work-day morning. But it was worth it for the children. When they stepped out of the bus, they stepped into a different world. The teachers and organizers guided them from one point to the other but they were awe-struck seeing so many different live animals at such a close range, And it was difficult to get them moving from one cage to the other, Their special interest was in the big cats, lions, tigers and leopards ~ and of course the monkeys, who gave the children a special performance of their antics and kept them laughing long after they had moved on.

A train ride that circles the zoo was arranged for the students, which they thoroughly enjoyed. Then, it was time for a break for an enjoyable meal under the shady trees of the zoo. Everyone smiled and talked excitedly of all the animals they had seen.

After the break, the last of the animals were visited, like the elephants and the crocodiles, and then, it was time to board the buses again and head back home to Rehri Goth.

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla, child specialist in Karachi was happy that the expedition was very successful and worked within the time-frame.

Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla, child specialist in Karachi is of the view that such activities are necessary for children’s upbringing. The students reached their respective schools at Rehri Goth for collection by their parents etc. It was a long day and the children were a little tired ~ but it was a day they would remember for a long, long time.