Pakistan Kashmir earthquake - six years on
SOS Children in Pakistan
Please note: we offer child sponsorship in Pakistan under slightly different terms from sponsorship in the rest of the world. Click on the "Sponsor a child in Pakistan" button above for more details.
Pakistan floods
The devastating floods which hit Pakistan in 2010, and again in 2011, mean that even more children need our help and support. As well as running an Emergency Relief Programme which helped more than a million people in 2010, we have given permanent homes in our SOS Children's Villages to children who were orphaned or separated from their families in the disaster. The crisis remains far from over and we are appealing for more sponsors to help us care for these children.
Our Work in Pakistan
SOS Children provides a loving home for orphans and abandoned children giving them the love, security and respect that they need to grow up into independent adults who in turn contribute to their society. Our schools give education to our children and others in the local community, and our medical centres provide healthcare for thousands of people every year. SOS Children in Pakistan has ambitious plans to add to our growing list of Villages where children live with their SOS mother and siblings in a family home where generations of children grow up.
Lahore
We began working in Pakistan in 1977 when our first SOS Children's Village in Pakistan was built in Lahore. Today, this SOS Children's Village is considered a model for modern child care in Pakistan.
The Village has 16 family houses and an SOS Youth Home for the older children where they can take their first guided steps towards independence. Despite concerted efforts by the government, the illiteracy rate in Pakistan remains high at 60 per cent, and in 1989 an SOS School for 1,500 nursery, primary and secondary school pupils was opened at Lahore. An SOS Medical Centre provides dental treatment for over 1000 patients a year from the local community.
Dhodial
We established a second community in Dhodial in the small town of Masehra in northern Pakistan in 1982. It has 14 family houses and an SOS Youth Home in nearby Abbottabad alongside an SOS Vocational Training Centre which offers courses in engineering, plumbing and welding. The integral SOS School can take up to 350 nursery, primary and secondary pupils. An SOS Medical Centre provides basic medical treatment and care for up to 200 local people every month.
Rawalpindi
Our third SOS Children's Village in Pakistan, Rawalpindi, opened in 1989. It has 20 family houses and an SOS Youth Home which together are home to 250 children and young people. An SOS Vocational Training Centre provides courses in electrical engineering and car mechanics. Over 100 patients a month from the local community receive basic medical treatment and care in the SOS Medical Centre and 300 pupils attend the SOS Schools, both primary and secondary.
Faisalabad
SOS Children's Village Faisalabad was built in 1988. It has 15 family houses and an SOS Youth Home for 35 boys. The Village's SOS Medical Centre treats 200 patients a month and has a small operating theatre. The SOS School has thirteen classrooms for 600 pupils, providing pre-school, primary and secondary level education.
Karachi
SOS Children's Village Karachi opened in 1987. There is now an SOS Youth Home along with the original 15 family houses, with training opportunities to become an electrician or plumber provided in the SOS Vocational Training Centre. The SOS School in Karachi is the largest in Pakistan with room for 1200 pupils, receiving pre-school, primary and secondary education.
Sargodha
SOS Children's Village Sargodha opened in 1995. It has 14 family houses and accommodation for 40 older boys in the SOS Youth Home. An SOS School with 35 classrooms and three science and computer laboratories provides pre-school, primary and secondary education for 1000 pupils.
Multan
SOS Children’s Village Multan opened in 2003 with 15 family houses for 150 children. An SOS Primary School has also been built to give education to 120 local children.
Sialkhot
Pakistan’s eighth SOS Children’s Village opened in Sialkhot in 2006. There are 15 family houses for 150 children and an SOS Nursery.
Muzaffarabad
A Village was due to open in Muzaffarabad in 2005 but was badly damaged by the earthquake in October 2005. An emergency relief programme was set up to help and care for orphaned and abandoned children. This included a paediatric field hospital and provision of safe shelter for orphaned and vulnerable children as well as vulnerable women with or without children. The Village in Muzaffarabad is still under construction.
Other emergency programmes have been implemented including an emergency programme for refugees fleeing violence in NW Pakistan.
In 2010 an Emergency Relief Programme was set up to provide food parcels and care for children and families affected by the flooding.
SOS Children's Villages Quetta, Islamabad and Jamshoro are currently under construction.
Local contact
SOS Children's Villages of Pakistan
Ferozepur Road
Lahore
54600
Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-3583 9644, +92-42-3584 6255, +92-42-3585 4416, +92-42-3586 6546
Fax: +92-42-3585 2377
e-mail: national@sos.org.pk
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