Name: Dipanwita Ridi

Age: 37

Occupation: Founder and chairperson of Animal Lovers of Bangladesh (ALB) animal shelter, the country’s first animal adoption shelter for strays; freelance content writer and translator.

Lives with: Two rescue cats – a 13-year-old female called Pitu and a six-month-old male named Pouch. Various stray cats – a female and five males – come and go as they please.

Lives in: A one-bedroom apartment in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Monthly household income: In August, Dipanwita earned 43,591 Bangladeshi taka ($390) from her freelance work.

The average monthly income is 7,614 taka ($68) nationwide and 10,951 taka ($98) in urban areas, according to the 2022 Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

Total expenses for the month: 30,000 taka ($269) spent on rent, utilities, food and transport to attend a birthday and a wedding.