First Lady Sehba Musharraf surrounded by children from Multan - Photo: SOS Archives
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It had been raining constantly during the previous weeks and all were afraid that the opening celebration of the new SOS Children's Village would have to be held indoors. However, on the day of the event, the sky was gloriously blue and everything could be carried out as planned.
Sehba Musharraf, the wife of the President of Pakistan, who was welcomed by high-ranking representatives of SOS Children's Villages, by local public figures and by many children and SOS mothers, cut the opening ribbon during the ceremony. The children's highly creative dance and musical performances served as a colourful setting for the celebration.
The presidential couple has been following the work of SOS Children's Villages closely, and 5 years ago, they attended the 25th anniversary celebration of SOS Children's Village Lahore.
One of the finest dance performances! - Photo: SOS Archives
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During the ceremony in Multan, the local Industrial Estate Management announced that they have given SOS Children's Villages a 2 ha piece of land located in front of the village, intended for the construction of an SOS Hermann Gmeiner School, and a generous donor will cover the entire construction costs.
In the year 2000, construction of SOS Children's Village Multan in the central-eastern part of the country began, and after only two years, the 15 family houses could be lived in. In Pakistan, there are a total of nine SOS Children's Villages and 24 other social facilities (kindergartens, schools, training and social centres, medical centres, etc). Most of the projects in the country are financed locally, through very successful fundraising and thanks to a large number of contributors.