KOCHI: To be selfish is to save yourself before the world goes to waste. During a pandemic especially, privilege and lack of empathy would drive most people to run for their life without a second thought. But the world isn’t all that bad a place, thanks to selfless people like Fadette Badie d’Arcis, a French professor at St Theresa's College, Ernakulam.
For her, compassion for stray animals is more than a mere routine. “As much as I love people and their cultures, I’m affectionate towards animals too. Since coming to Kochi in 2019, I have seen many stray cats and dogs. Gradually, it has become a regular affair to feed them. Especially now, with the second wave and lockdown, they need help as restaurants are shut,” she said.
Apart from helping humans of Kochi who are in need, Fadette regularly gives biscuits and cooked food to strays at High Court Junction. The 46-year-old is fond of Kochi and its culture. “I have been living in Kochi for 20 months now. Before my tenure here, I worked in France, Mexico, Bhutan, China and Thailand. Though all places are special for me, I liked the diversity of origin, beliefs and traditions of Kochi. Above all, I have noticed many people voluntarily feeding stray animals here,” she said.
Amid spiralling cases of Covid, she pointed out that the safe environment inspired her to stay back in Kochi.“It was not a hard decision to take. I am safe here. I got a job, a computer with an internet connection and a place to live. I wouldn’t ask for more. Living under these privileges, all I could do is to do my bit for others,” she said.
Fadette left France around 16 years ago and has been working as a French foreign language teacher in several countries. Despite all the negativity in the air, she is hopeful that things will be normal soon.
“Coming from the land of Louis Pasteur, I feel that vaccination is the solution. Till things are back to normal, we should stay sane and enjoy the time with people around us,” she added.