Building for Paka

Sonya Hira is organizing this fundraiser.

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This page, created to honor the lives of four legged children, is dedicated to raising funds for Paka Clinic. Paka is a grassroots cat shelter and clinic in Zanzibar (Tanzania) which is currently seeking funds to broaden its base by building out locations.

Before I tell you the story behind this fundraiser for Paka, I should tell you that I believe in changing the world one precious life at a time. So, the story then…

On a hot and dusty Zanzibari afternoon in June 2022, my sister Carina and I set out on an adventure to the town of Kizimkazi to see an 11th-century Mosque and swim with wild dolphins. Before getting onto the boat, we encountered a little African wild kitten needing help (think one eye infected and oozing with weakness and hump-back from hunger). She repeatedly butted her head up against Carina’s legs, meowed and followed her around.

Upon our return from the water, Carina wandered around, looking for the kitten. She found the princess, scooped her up, wrapped her in one of our beach towels, and returned to our hotel. We then walked the centuries-old streets of Stone Town looking for a veterinary clinic to help treat the kitten. Nothing was open as it was Sunday.

We bumped into a shelter called Paka Clinic (“Paka” means “cat” in Swahili). Alas, it was also closed. But, there was a delivery of cat food bags sitting outside the locked shelter door. So we hung around, hoping someone would show up. And they did!

Paka’s founder, Eva Styner, personally helped clean out the kitten’s eye and gave us some supplies to last the night. We returned to the hotel with our precious cargo. Fed her a little and took off to get some lunch. When we returned, little miss muffin was asleep on the couch. She continued to eat and rest through the evening curling up on my belly for a little nap at night.

The following morning, Dr.Goodluck from Paka was able to treat the kitten’s eye and evaluate her. It turns out she wasn’t doing so well and would have lost her life if we had not helped her when she found us.

With the help and care of Paka, Princess Zanzi (yes, that’s her name) is well on her way to recovery. She is going through the process of getting certified to come home to Chicago. She’s lost most of her right eye but who says she can’t be Captain Jack Sparrow if she wants to?

I am to return to Zanzibar in November to pick up my royal cargo. It would be incredible if I could return to Paka with funds to support them in building out their second cat shelter in the town of Mombassa. This grassroots organization, and others like it, are the ones that truly affect change in the lives of their town’s inhabitants (the four legged and two legged kind to be honest) one life at a time.

To participate in and support Paka Clinic’s generosity of spirit and Eva’s tireless work for the life of Stone town. I am asking you for a contribution. Nothing is too small.

Please help me raise $20,000.00 this year to help Paka Clinic!

If you can, please also share this far and wide. Eva Styner and Paka Clinic of Zanzibar deserve to be celebrated.