Child Sponsorship Background from Karachi, Pakistan

SOS Children's Village Karachi

SOS Children's Village Karachi was established in 1987 to provide protection and a family life for about 150 orphans and abandoned children from the area. Located in the city centre, the village has direct access to transport and facilities such as hospitals, markets and colleges. Karachi is situated approximately 1,400 km from the capital Islamabad.

The SOS Children’s Village currently has 15 family houses, a village director's house, an aunts' house, a communal building and an administrative block. An SOS School and an SOS Social Centre were also built on the premises.

Other SOS Projects in Karachi

The SOS School has a SOS Nursery and provides primary and secondary education. It opened in 1998 to provide education of a high standard for around 1,300 SOS children, as well as children from the neighbourhood. It has 30 classrooms, science laboratories, a library and a computer lab. Special classes are on offer to support children with learning difficulties. There has also been an SOS Vocational Training Centre since 1999, which can provide education for 70 young people.

An SOS Youth Home was established in 1998 to help young people from the SOS Children's Village to develop a sense of responsibility. It is 2 km away from SOS Children's Village Karachi. Up to 15 boys receive training at the SOS Vocational Training Centre to become electricians and plumbers. A male supervisor helps them with their training.

The SOS Social Centre, which was opened in 2005, currently sees around 500 patients a month.

Background to Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and financial centre of Pakistan, and the capital of the province of Sindh. With an estimated population of about 18 million, Karachi is one of the world's largest cities in terms of population. It is Pakistan's premier centre of banking, industry and trade.