When Children Speak for Animals

An animal lover and committed vegetarian, she believes compassion is a daily practice—one rooted in empathy, responsibility, and education. Her work centers on a simple but demanding question: What happens when children are given the tools to stand up for animals?

“Animals depend on humans for food, shelter, love, and safety,” Sunaina explains. “When we understand that responsibility, we begin to live differently.”

That belief shaped Voices of Compassion: Community-Based Theatre for Animal Rights, a project brought to life through the support of The Pollination Project’s seed grant, which helped transform concern into collective action.

Working with government school students from Classes 3–8, Sunaina created a safe and respectful space for dialogue. Through theatre, children explored empathy, questioned harmful norms, and expressed their own experiences with animals in their communities.

This setting mattered. The final performance took place near a culturally significant site where animal sacrifice is practiced during festivals. Choosing to center compassion in such a space required care, sensitivity, and trust in the voices of young people.

More than 25 students participated directly in the creative process, while the performances reached approximately 2,500 people, including families, teachers, local leaders, and media. Over the course of the project, 240 volunteer hours were contributed by students and young assistants who stepped into leadership roles.

The impact extended beyond the stage. After the final performance, students independently chose to feed nearby street animals, supporting 50 animals directly and turning a message of compassion into visible action.

“We talked about kindness, but they showed it,” Sunaina reflects. “That moment belonged entirely to them.”

Teachers observed increased confidence, collaboration, and emotional awareness among participants. Community members responded with openness, appreciation, and conversation—proof that respectful, child-led storytelling can shift perspectives even in sensitive contexts.

By funding this early idea, The Pollination Project helped nurture a grassroots model that connects animal rights, education, ethical agriculture, and community philanthropy, demonstrating how small grants can spark lasting change.

Sunaina Panthy is a Nepal-based social worker, animal rights advocate, and educator dedicated to promoting compassion toward all living beings. An animal lover and committed vegetarian, her work is rooted in empathy, ethical responsibility, and awareness of animal protection laws. Through creative approaches such as community-based theatre, Sunaina engages children and local communities in conversations about animal welfare, humane treatment, and social responsibility. Her work focuses on empowering young people to become advocates for animals while fostering a culture of care, respect, and coexistence across Nepal.

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