Daily Times

KARACHI: With the hope to light up lives of others, Dawood Public School (DPS) organised DPS Festival of Lights, a fundraising event, on Monday.

Event co-coordinator told Daily Times that the festival aims at generating funds to help deserving patients of Bait-ul-Sukoon Cancer Hospital. The event is sponsored by Dawood Hercules Corp Ltd.

She said the premises of the school was transformed for the festival. Decorations enchanted visitors with the displays made of innovate use of various lights besides engaging activities held by the organisers and the students that continued all day.

These activities included a Light Parade, where groups of students wearing glittering costumes drew appreciation from the visitors. This year’s theme was insects and animals. A student dressed up as a butterfly fairy on a spectacular float, was also a part of the parade. Other activities of the day included a Tron Dance, Fire Eaters Show, besides food stalls, game competitions and exciting rides to engage visitors. A ‘walk through the stars’ tunnel and an oriental lantern ‘China Town’ was also open for the participants.

While expressing her view on the event, a teacher said, “All the effort put into this huge event reflects DPS’s belief in teaching values of charity and sacrifice deep to its students so that they can become not only successful, but also empathetic, passionate and concerned members of the society driven to actually ‘do’ and ‘make a difference’. Having students take the lead in setting up activities and stalls enables them to rise up to their potential and build upon essential life skills.”

The students participated in face painting, nail art and enjoyed rides like the Pirate Boat, Ferris Wheel and Jumping Castle. ‘Glowing Horse Buggy’ and ‘Trackless Train’ carried the families from one end of the event to the other.

Mrs. Fatima, mother of a student, said, “I am so proud that my daughter is a part of something so beautiful and charitable.”

Another parent said that he was so inspired by the festival that he promptly made his way to the blood donation camp set up by the Indus Hospital to donate blood.

A student of Class X, Minahil Alvi, asserted, “I have learned so much from setting up our stall. I learned how to work as a productive team member. I learned that when intentions are pure, we can all make a big difference for our less fortunate brothers and sisters.”

The festival ended with a spectacular burst of colours in the sky with fireworks.

Published in Daily Times, March 20^th 2018.