About
ACF (AYESHA CHUNDRIGAR FOUNDATION) is a non-profit organization based in Karachi.
ACF is popularly known as ACF Animal Rescue is home to the first-of-its-kind animal shelter in Pakistan, based in Karachi for injured and ill stray animals such as dogs, cats and kites and working animals such as donkeys, horses and camels.
ACF began rescue service ambulances and have an active rescue helpline and social media where people report injured animals. ACF have a spay/neuter/release programme; once a healthy dog/cat has fully recovered from surgery (spay/neuter) and after post-operative care, ACF releases them back into the community in areas identified as safe zones.
ACF also hold donkey camps, where team goes out to different donkey/equine populated areas of the city including brick kilns and coal mines to provide medical treatment, food and water to the donkeys and to educate the owner on donkey behavior and donkey handling. They also explain to the owners how treating their animals better will help them in the long run as a donkey is a donkey owner’s (daily wager) sole source of income. Such learning is carried out via social mobilization, capacity building and community awareness programmes.
Working animals and their owners are one of the largest and most neglected communities in the country and ACF is one of the few organizations working for their betterment.
ACF donkey camps have gained immense popularity and have created off-shoot outreach models across Pakistan that further the cause of helping all marginalized communities.
ACF visit different schools, and institutes to raise awareness about animal rights and to enable people to learn empathy and compassion for those around them and more so, for themselves. ACF believes animals are the best medium for one to understand empathy and once you can tap into your emphatic nature, it creates compassion in all facets of life.
Equal opportunities, diversity and inclusive are imperative elements of the ACF mantra; ACF create job opportunities for people with special needs, the deaf, acid burn survivors, those recovering from addiction among others to motivate them in a non-judgmental, all-inclusive, holistic environment to live a life of dignity and respect.