This is what Kavitha Vijian Bose, Francesca Samuel Narcisus Serdinand, and Nurin Sabrina Dasris have dedicated themselves to – and they fund it all out of their own pockets.
Things, however, took a turn last month when Nurin was involved in a car accident that has left her on crutches.
Up to that point, the 28-year-old ran a burger stall where many strays would gather, knowing she would feed them.
“I would usually give them food after I close up at 11pm. I cook them chicken and rice right there at my stall,” Nurin said, sharing that she had set up a separate gas stove just for the strays.
She added that she would buy the animals five chickens a day: “That’s all I can afford.”
On March 9, Nurin was driving home when she lost control of her car, which crashed into a pole.
“When I opened my eyes, the car had flipped. Do you know what my first thought was? ‘I have to get out of this car – at home, I have 40 cats. Outside, many are waiting to eat every day.’ That’s all I thought about.”
She added: “The police were surprised I was still alive. I believe I survived because of the blessings I earned from feeding the strays.”
Even as she recuperates, her burger stall temporarily closed, Nurin’s concern for the animals persists.
She is therefore grateful to Kavitha and Francesca for stepping up to continue her work on the streets. This is despite their busy schedules: Francesca in her role as a kindergarten principal, and Kavitha as a single working mother.
Speaking with FMT Lifestyle, Kavitha recounted that she and Francesca had first crossed paths with Nurin while they were individually feeding strays.
“I admired her a lot because she had the empathy and heart to feed the voiceless,” Kavitha, 46, expressed. “I was so proud of her and I said, ‘Hey, let’s do this together!'”
For Nurin, feeding dogs and cats comes from a place of humanity. “I was actually scared of dogs growing up, but while running my stall, I would see them around, looking all sad.
“Now, if they get hurt on the road and no one is there to help, I won’t hesitate to carry them.”
Recently, FMT Lifestyle followed Kavitha and Francesca on one of their nightly rounds, looking for dogs and puppies on roadsides, in dark alleys, and even inside drains.
“It makes me sad knowing they’ll be waiting for food, so right after I finish work at 6.30pm, I head straight to feed the dogs,” Francesca said.
Sometimes, their efforts go on past midnight. And beyond feeding, the trio cares for the animals’ well-being, covering vet visits and neutering procedures.
Kavitha noted that many of the animals they encounter tend to be in poor condition, with injuries, health issues and more. Naturally, the costs add up.
“I used to work a corporate job, but when I lost it during the pandemic, I pivoted to running my burger stall,” Nurin recalled.
“I changed my lifestyle completely. Previously, I would spend all of my salary on myself. Now it’s 100% for the animals.”
Nurin currently relies on her savings to look after herself and her cats, as well as to replace her car. Once she recovers, she plans to reopen her stall and resume her mission of helping strays.
“I don’t ask that everyone do what we do, but I hope people have some empathy towards the animals they meet on the streets,” she concluded.
If you’d like to help these friends continue their work, kindly contact Kavitha at 011‑3697 2527.