Saving the Stray from Starving -2

After identifying the problem of food unavailability for stray animals, we ideated the possible solutions to save these stray from starving. Now was the time to implement all that we researched and ideated about the problem.

According to our action plan we picked out few organizations from Karachi which worked for animal rights and planned on to visit them for a collaboration. We had been feeding some stray cats the past week of which we had photographs which we planned on to showing them in order to urge them to this cause. All of our team despite some fellow’s tight working schedules and exams went out to the organizations some of the most reputable names in Karachi. However, to our utmost surprise and disappointment, most of those organizations who were chanting themselves as animal rights activists refused to help us, while the others did not even bother to respond, some proclaimed that cannot initiate something after some random students.

While getting the last rejection, we as a team realized that it was not as easy as it had seemed to be. We had two options either stick with our mission or give up. The first option was difficult because achieving our mission without the assistance and mentorship of any established organization with no experience and mega resources was like climbing the Everest. However, if we gave up there would not be any use to all of this. Change needs persistence and hard work.

Thus, our team members Hafeez, Farooq, Bazil, Pradeep and Umer stopped at Nipa Chowrangi and started talking to people there. There all the day they kept on speaking to different bunch of people rights, educating them how 50,000 dogs die every year on the streets of Pakistan due to unavailability of food, thus forming a Karachi-based campaign to spread awareness.

During the campaign, our team members delivered our message to more than 300 individuals through word of mouth. We didn’t rely on physical campaigns only but utilized social media too. To spread awareness regarding your animal rights and save them from starving, virtually we reached to more 200 people through Facebook which we are scaling to increase too.

For tangible outcome we changed our approach this time. Instead of relying on the sponsorship and guidance of the organizations we started raising funds for the cause. Within the course of a week we were able to collect enough funds through our locality and acquaintances to initiate the project.

As we planned on to establish drinking and eating spots for dogs and cats at different locations in Karachi. The funds that we collected could work for not many locations but would serve as a prototype and model for inspiring the locals.

We have been able to created three drinking points for animals at Bufferzone Karachi. We have urged the locals to ensure the availability of water as that seemed more motivating to them than making food available.

As for the sustainability of the project is concerned, the prototype that we have developed would serve as a motivation and we have set out to urge the local government to replicate these. We have collaborated with the local community and to keep that eating and drinking spots with food and water. Moreover, we are constantly pursuing animal organizations which are already working fulltime for community service. If we are able to pursue them towards this cause, there would be many such spots being formed across the city and then the country too. Furthermore, social media would remind the public virtually of the purpose, through which this initiative would get sustainability.

Execution of this project has laid a mega impact in all of our experiences both as a team and an individual. From brainstorming about the problem, to installing the drinking spots there has been a series of lessons for us. There have been a lot of places where we made use of Amal principles. Khudi inspired us to realize how these living beings living besides us were equally as important as a human life. Amal urged us to initiate the work for the project, when we thought the action was very little and would get unnoticed, we learnt that the same brought us a step near to the completion. Kam Kam Kam kept us stimulated when we were tight on our academic and professional commitments and wanted to give on the project. The last but not the least Ek or Ek Gyara had been the essence of the entire motive, without team no big impact could be created. Though we struggled within our team but persistence and trust within the team made us achieve the task at hand.