Happy things: Carnival enthralls children at SOS Village

Over a hundred children participated in the carnival.

LAHORE: The main ground of the SOS Children’s Village came alive on Saturday with the laughter and squeals of over a hundred children at a carnival organised by a local restaurant.

The ground overflowed with energy as the children lapped up the various kinds of jumping castles, rides and other activities organised for them at the festival.

The jumping castles were particularly a hit among them as they provided them with an opportunity to playfully tackle their friends without getting hurt and hold impromptu jumping contests.

Children were also seen running around the ground playing games including football and hide and seek. The event provided the children with much-needed respite in the midst of examination season.

Zeeshan, one of the children, said he did not plan on studying for a forthcoming examination.

Activities catering to the tastes of all children had been organised. Several girls were seen thronging the hair and nails stall. Saba, an 11-year-old girl, was particularly pleased with her purple nail polish. A burger stall delighted Samda, another 11-year old.

SOS Children’s Village director Almas Butt told The Express Tribune that none of the children had gone to their homes as they had been captivated by the activities.

The arrival of actor Noman Ejaz and comedian Sohail Ahmed caused a stir. While Ahmed’s jokes left the children in splits, Ejaz’s appearance on stage left them baffled initially as they were unfamiliar with his real name. Nine-year-old Kiran Allah Ditta said he looked handsome when he essayed irascible characters on screen.

The organisers had also organised a number of competitions including pin the tail and a three-legged race for the children.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2014.