As someone who has dedicated her life to saving animals, this entrepreneur has become a household name in Pakistan. Best known for her incredible contributions to animal welfare, she’s a former psychotherapist, a journalist, and most famously the founder and CEO of Ayesha Chundrigar Foundation aka ACF Animal Rescue. Ayesha Chundrigar is one of those unique individuals who has made a lasting impact in Karachi for animals and humans alike. By putting all her efforts into doing right by the voiceless, no matter what obstacles get in the way, she is a woman of substance who has developed the largest animal welfare organization in a country where animal suffering has been taken quite lightly with little to no action. Chundrigar has brought together numerous organizations to join her in the quest in creating an environment that is safe for all innocent animals to live in. These significant efforts are what make Ayesha Chundrigar the powerhouse she is today and thus, she has earned numerous accolades for her extraordinary work in having made a vast difference in our culture where animal care is usually neglected. The CEO has had quite the year with several initiatives by ACF Animal Rescue and has won multiple awards along the way.
Earlier in 2021, Ayesha Chundrigar was selected to be on a very distinguished list of people who were invited to the Pakistan Pavillion and given the title of ‘Pride of Pakistan’ from the Government for exceptional contributions to the country. This was followed by Chundrigar being the recipient of the HUM Women Leaders Award 2021 as one of the most influential female leaders in Pakistan along with other revered names such as Malala Yousufzai and Abida Parveen, among others. She was given this award for her numerous contributions towards animal welfare and launching new projects every year to help animals such as the recently launched ACF Mobile Clinic, regular TNVR campaigns, donkey medical camps, Wildlife protection program, the Empress Market camp, and other initiatives created by her foundation.
As someone who uses education as the primary way to bring about change in society, this entrepreneur always encourages an empathic approach to all beings. Thus, this year she developed her Karachi Cares program along with a week-long course where attendees were informed on how specific animals should be treated. Understanding that humans and animals living in harmony can only benefit society as well as the ecosystem, Chundrigar has highlighted her commitment to sowing the seeds of change, one endeavor at a time. The CEO was also recently invited to the TEDx stage for the second time to share her experience on how she went from having a stammer to becoming the voice of thousands of animals across the country. The ACF founder has now helped over 15,000 stray and abandoned animals in Karachi which has led to her being one of the most influential people in the country today. ACF Animal Rescue further received first place at K-electric, Social Services Award 2021 for services provided to the country. The entrepreneur has also recently collaborated with different corporations and companies such as Soorty Enterprises, Artistic Milliners, ICI Pakistan, and AGP Ltd to ensure that street animals are safe from harm.
Ayesha Chundrigar’s work in animal welfare speaks for itself as she continues to create a safe space where street pets don’t have to suffer at the hands of ignorance. She is truly a pinnacle of hope in a world that has forgotten the importance of flowing together in harmony with all living beings. As someone who takes the lead in making our society better, Chundrigar is truly a force to be reckoned with and we can’t wait to see what else she has in store!
