Hyderabad: Teenager raises funds to feed stray dogs in times of pandemic

Hyderabad: While most of the school going kids continue to struggle with their studies because of Covid pandemic, which has also completely changed their routine, a 14-year-old YouTuber is pondering over ways to help stray animals and feed them believing that Covid-19 has affected all living things at different levels.

The teenage YouTuber, Mishkkaa, a resident of Gachibowli who is studying in Class 9 can be seen playing with stray dogs in her latest videos and explaining a how they are surviving and struggling to find food amid the pandemic.

She explains why dogs are barking, crying and wailing more during the Covid pandemic with an example from her gated community. While most people see this as an inconvenience, she says, "I realised that dogs are barking because they have no food, so I really felt bad as an animal lover. Many hotels are closed and individuals are not feeding dogs fearing virus infection," added Mishkkaa.

Supportive of her daughter's noble ideas, her father Viivek Verma says, "Mishkkaa has grown up watching her parents work for social causes and I am beyond glad she has been inspired by it. She likes to speak of various issues with her peers and her audience, that comprises mainly teenagers like her through her Youtube channel." He further adds, "I also feel it is always better when teenagers are made aware of serious issues by their peers rather than by elders," he says.

She started collaborating with Padma Shri nominee.

With an aim to support strays, she started an online fundraising campaign with Milaap titles 'Strays Need Attention Too'. She also started collaborating with Animal Rights Activist Zabi Khan (a Padma Shri nominee, UN awardee and the founder of 'A Place To Bark') for online fundraising. With the money mobilised, Mishkkaa will support 'A Place To Bark' to buy food and distribute around the city.

Mishkkaa remained vocal about the social issues since 2016

In 2016 she started a YouTube channel with the title Mishkkaa – The Billi of Hollywood. She posts videos about various social issues like bullying, good touch / bad touch, road safety and superstitions, Honesty, LGBTQIA+ community etc and also hosts talk shows. Mishkkaa's father Viveck Verma is the founder of Upsurge Global and Senior Advisor at Telangana State Innovation Cell. Her mother Ekta Viivek Verma is the founder of Invisible Scars, a support group to help individuals facing domestic abuse.

"Apart from attending her online classes, Mishkkaa is putting her heart and soul to promote the fundraising campaign. She has also supported a fundraiser before for Kerala Flood victims. Even at this tender age, she is doing a commendable job, creating awareness about important social issues and effectively using a powerful, new route to gather support from around the world. Children like Mishkkaa are a beacon of hope for the future of the country and the world," feels her proud mother.