HYDERABAD: If you want to ensure that stray animals in your area drink clean water during the pandemic, join this animal welfare initiative that has been distributing water bowls for animals since 2017.
The Animals Water Bowl Project Trust, started by Hyderabad-based social ideator Lakshman Molleti, wants to ensure that no animal goes thirsty in the world.
The founder, who is a former software professional, says: “I was touched by the plight of animals who drink water from gutter, or develop skin infection due to scarcity of clean drinking water. Most of our water bodies are polluted today, and it’s a myth that animals have access to clean water through all seasons. That is why, I started this project, so that every stray animal has access to safe drinking water around the clock throughout the year.
This world will be more balanced if every human on this planet lives a simple lifestyle and supports all animals equally.” Till now, the Trust has distributed 3,500 water bowls free of cost. One can request for a bowl by filling a form on their website. However, the volunteer has to promise to bowl the bowl clean, fill it with water every day and share pictures of the same on social media to inspire others.
Lakshman, a vegan, found that there is a lack of awareness among children and adults on the importance of animals in our ecology. To bridge that gap, AWBP regularly conducts educational programmes, creates documentaries and writes articles on the need to be compassionate towards all animals. In order to engage with the public, the AWBP launched two activities this year - Open Artwork Contest Year 2020 and Video Song Launch On Animals.
Actors Arvind Krishna and Sada launched their first video song ‘Humans’ on August 15 in four languages — Telugu, Hindi, Kannada and Tamil. As part of the artwork contest on the theme, ‘Human Compassion Towards Animals,’ they received 72 entries, out of which three winners were declared. With 25 volunteers, the organisation is currently operating in Telangana (Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Medchal and Ranga Reddy) and Maharashtra (Pune and Thane). It will soon have a branch in Visakhapatnam.
The founder is now working on a course on animal compassion that can be taught in schools. Amid the pandemic, AWBP is approaching schools to work out a way of delivering these lessons online. They are also working on a book to sensitise schoolchildren towards the hardships stray animals face.