Animal SOS Sri Lanka has friends in Australia – By Marie Pietersz

Fathima Zareen is a caring young adult who has become an ambassador for young Australians with Sri Lankan heritage. Graduating as a finalist in the Miss Sri Lanka Australia Pageant 2016, she has taken her training in raising awareness of her heritage and working in the community space to another level. 

The most recent demonstration of her passion and dedication to community causes was her decision to put her efforts behind Animal SOS Sri Lanka, a UK registered charity (1119902) dedicated to improving the lives of suffering stray cats and dogs in Sri Lanka. She was instrumental in organising the Kindness Project, a fund-raiser high tea at the Manningham Hotel, Melbourne, on 7 July, with Maheema Lansakara, Medical Scientist at the Peter McCallum Cancer Institute, who lives by her motto of love and kindness.  The event was sponsored by Archie Argawal (SpecialCandles4u) and patronised by  40 guests representing Sri Lankan and Australian communities in Melbourne. Keynote speakers were Melonie Taylor (Professional and Personal Develoment Mentor), Emma Romano (Family Freedom Coach) and Maggie McGuire (Teen Miss Universe Australia).  

“I am so delighted to let you that that the event was a huge success and I want to share it with you,” stated a very happy Fathima, model, hair stylist and make-up artist, based in Melbourne (https://www.starnow.com.au/fathimazeenathzareen).

“SOS Sri Lanka takes in sick and critically injured animals and nurses them back to health at its 4-acre free roaming sanctuary in the south of Sri Lanka. The animal population at the sanctuary is 1300 and are those whose lives have been saved by the charity’s work. It also operates adoption schemes to home, rehabilitate and care for some 120 disabled dogs. Its outreach programs provide free neutering, rabies vaccination and many other treatments to stop the spread of diseases and deaths. The charity also funds free English classes to poor children in the local village and incorporates animal welfare education and teaches the importance of kindness and compassion in the education which help the children with their chances in life. The charity feeds 1400 animals a day which include those resident animals in the sanctuary and strays. This feeding program is a constant upward struggle for this small charity and proceeds from the raffle held will be directed to the charity to feed the animals,” explained Fathima.

“There will be more events in the future to help contribute to this worthy cause to give these poor animals a lifeline,” she said, “and we need your help to do this.”

For more information about the charity and how you can donate, please visit https://www.animalsos-sl.com/