In the last Ashra of Ramadan, HOPE in collaboration with
Standard Chartered Bank, arranged a magnanimous iftar event for the children of
all the HOPE schools and vocational centers located in Karachi and interior
Sindh. The event was not just a luxurious iftar dinner; it was the epitome of
affection and care shown by the teams of HOPE-An Educational NGO in Pakistan and Standard Chartered Bank for
these destitute children.
After the days’ long preparations, the venue was ready to
welcome the students coming from various HOPE schools, formal and informal
included, and vocational centers located in Zia Colony, Bilal Colony,
Bhitaiiabad, Sachal Goth, Bhens Colony, Rerhi Goth, Ghaggar, Gadap and Thatta.
There were about 1500 students from these schools who attended the event,
accompanied by the faculty members. They were seated in long rows. Considering
the soaring temperature, pedestal fans were placed adequately to keep the
students and guests cool.
More than a hundred volunteers from HOPE as well as the
employees of Standard Chartered Bank, came along to this event. They also helped
in serving food to the students. The volunteers mingled up with the children
and spent quality time with them. They made groups with the students and
started friendly chatter. They had story telling sessions, participated in
games and asked them general knowledge questions, to sing some verses and
patriotic songs. All the children were given goody bags containing adorable
stationary items.
The gathering got excited with the arrival of Chairperson
HOPE, Dr. Mubina Agboatwalla-A Child
Specialist in Karachi.
With her dynamic hospitable personality, she took a personal interest in making
sure everybody was seated and served properly. Soon with the call for Maghrib,
everybody broke fast with dates and savored the delicious food including
samosas, puff pastries, kebabs, spring rolls, brownies, bananas, and variety of
sherbets. The food was more than enough
for everyone. Mr. Shahzad Dada, CEO Standard Chartered Bank Pakistan, praised
the efforts of HOPE-An NGO in Pakistan for changing lives of hundreds of less fortunate
children by providing education and arranging such a grand iftar event for
them.
After Maghrib prayers, Chairperson HOPE distributed Eid
clothes among the children who queued up jubilantly to receive theirs. Their
joy was reflected from their eyes upon receiving pretty Eid clothes which they
could not afford otherwise. The event ended with dinner in which scrumptious
chicken biryani was served to the excited students. Then the children lined up
again to board their respective buses to go back to their respective schools
and onwards to their homes, thus bringing a very eventful and happy evening to
an end.
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