12/11/2015
This is an incredible story about female victims of acid attacks. The human spirit is capable of hope and joy no matter what.
https://www.facebook.com/anguyen0316/posts/10105740798685299
A unique cafe in India is giving women who have survived acid attacks a new lease on life. The Sheroes' Hangout, which is located only half a mile away from the world famous Taj Mahal, is run and staffed by acid attack survivors. One of the women who works there, Rupa, who was attacked with acid at age 12, describes how the cafe not only provides these women with a livelihood, it also helps to restore their self-confidence: "Sheroes’ Hangout is not only giving us a chance to move our lives forward; it is also getting our stories out."
The cafe opened last December after a successful crowdfunding campaign by Stop Acid Attacks, an Indian campaign group focused on ending acts of violence against women. Over the past year, the Sheroes' Hangout has attracted a steady stream of local support, as well as many international visitors. “I was exhilarated the first time a group of Indian tourists who visited the cafe told me how much they appreciate my courage,” says Rupa. “Since then, we have had regular customers who come here not only to enjoy a cup of joe but also to talk to us.”
Many of the women who work there previously lead secluded lives and rarely ventured outside of their homes due to their feelings of shame. Tragically, acid attacks continue to be a widespread problem in the country; an Indian governmental organization, the National Crime Records Bureau, estimates that 1,000 acid attacks are committed in India each year. And, the pain -- both physical and emotional -- from such attacks continues for years, if not for a lifetime; as Stop Acid Attacks founder Alok Dixit explains: “Acid attack survivors’ lives become even more traumatic when they start facing rejection from society due to their disfigured faces. They need someone to hold their hand and restore their self-confidence."
Two of the women who have been helped by the cafe are a mother/daughter duo, Gita and Neetu Mahor, who were attacked 23 years ago by Mahor's husband. The attack left them with mutilated faces and limited vision but, because they had no other means of support, they were forced to continue living with their attacker. By employing them at the cafe, the Stop Acid Attacks campaign has helped them move out on their own and start a new life. The 26-year-old Neetu is also now taking singing lessons from one of the campaign's volunteers; she says, "I love to welcome the guests at the cafe cheerfully, so that they know we are coping well."
The transformation has also been dramatic for another of their employees, 19-year-old Ritu Saini, who was attacked with acid by a male cousin three years ago over a family property dispute, resulting in the loss of an eye. Today, she manages accounts for the cafe and says, "My life changed ever since I joined Stop Acid Attacks." She adds with a smile, "With the emotional support I received, I regained the confidence to go out with my face uncovered. Now I don’t care what people think of my disfigured face.”
To learn more about the Stop Acid Attacks campaign, visit http://www.stopacidattacks.org/ and follow their incredible work on Facebook at Stop Acid Attacks. You can also support their on-going fundraising campaign to expand their efforts at http://bit.ly/1s146sn
You can learn more about the Sheroes Hangout on their website at http://www.sheroeshangout.com/ or on TakePart at http://bit.ly/1P6Z7kJ
For more information on acid attacks in general, check out the excellent 2012 Oscar-winning Best Documentary Short entitled "Saving Face." The film is digitally available on Amazon at http://amzn.to/1lPOIe6 or you can learn more about it at http://savingfacefilm.com/
For Mighty Girl books for children and teens that address issues of abuse and violence and offer a helpful way to spark conversations around this important topic, visit our "Abuse & Violence" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/books/social-issues?cat=61
For a highly recommended book for older teens and adults that discusses how girls and women are fighting back against oppression and transforming their communities, check out: "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" at http://www.amightygirl.com/half-the-sky
And, for many more true stories of inspiring girls and women who worked to change the world, visit our “Activist” book section in Biographies at http://www.amightygirl.com/books/history-biography/biography?cat=207
