Brave acid attack survivors bares their scarred faces to help other abused women

Ritu Saini, Neetu Mahor, Dolly Kumari, Rupa and Gita Mahor

A group of brave acid attack survivors are baring their scarred faces to empower other abused women. The four women run a cafe in Agra, India, aimed at encouraging society to accept survivors, often shunned by their community.
Sheroes Hangout is run by Laxmi, Rupa, Chanchal, Ritu and Sonam, who do everything from cooking and cleaning to accounting and designing dresses.
Rupa, now 22, was attacked when she was just 15-years-old whilst sleeping at home.
The acid melted her skin, burned her eyebrows and disfigured her upper lip, leaving her in a coma for six weeks. When she finally regained consciousness, Rupa could only recognise people by their voices. But now Rupa has regained her confidence and even designs dresses, which are sold in a small boutique inside the cafe.

Gita, Neetu, Dolly, Rupa and Ritu at Sheroes' Hangout

She said: "I have made friends here, which I didn't have earlier. I get great support here."
Ritu has also spoken of how her life has changed since finding the support of the cafe. She said: "My family supported me but entire life gets disturbed after the attack.
"I had to leave my studies after the attack. I was a state level volley ball player. I quit that too.
"Before I had joined the campaign I used to cover my face but now I don't hide it from anyone."
Inspired by a beauty parlour in Pakistan run by acid attack survivors, the cafe has become the symbol of bravery and female empowerment. The women also reach out to other acid attack victims in the community.

Gita (left) sits with her daughter Neetu as she reads a book during a break

Fourteen-year-old Dolly was attacked with acid by a lovesick local boy. Now the teenager does her schoolwork at the cafe with the help of a tutor and dreams of studying medicine in the future.
Dolly said: "Everyone in the caf wants me to fulfill my dream of becoming a doctor.
"Customers come in and tell us that you were beautiful before, you are beautiful now as well. Keep working."
Sheroes was founded in 2013 as an initiative by the Stop Acid Attacks campaign and Chaanv foundation - a charity providing rehabilitation to acid attack survivors. Social worker Alok Dixit, who founded the Stop Acid Attacks campaign, said: "After the victims are treated, their biggest challenge is the society which does not aid their rehabilitation.
"When we tried to understand the cases in detail, we understood that it was the society's weakness, which we had not paid attention to
"After joining the cafe their thoughts have changed, there is positivity in them now. They have realised that whatever they have been told up till now is wrong."
Similar cafes are now being planned in other cities of India.

Source: Mirror