The month of October is celebrated as the Global Diversity Awareness month, a reminder of the positive impact a diverse culture of people can have on society as a whole.
On 11th October, we celebrated the International day of the girl child. Even while all these are such wonderful steps in the positive direction, there is a section of girls and women who do not get enough attention.
ADVERTISEMENT
Under the Rights for People with Disabilities act 2016, Acid Attack Survivors is one of the disabilities covered. The irony of the situation is that disabilities arising out of acid attacks are an outcome of crime. They are not born like this, nor are a result of any illness.
Globally, there are approximately 1,500 reported acid attacks a year, but it is a crime that often goes unreported for fear of reprisal. The greatest prevalence is in south Asian countries including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where acid remains inexpensive and freely available.
Over 100 shops in New Delhi alone sell illegal acid. Out of 1500 reported acid attacks per year approximately 250 are from India. The real numbers might be much more.
It is statistics like these that made Kabir Kohli, a 13 year old student of the Shri Ram School, Aravali Campus feel sick to the stomach. He was interning with an HR consulting firm Marching Sheep for their non-Commercial campaign, 21 Marching in October 2021, when he first came to know about Acid attack survivors, their challenges, the money it costs for their treatment, the loss of education, lack of access to health facilities, the delayed justice etc. The amount of agony, mental trauma and financial problems these survivors face just because of a heinous act of another person cannot be described through words. It moved him to the extent that when he got an opportunity the next year to make a difference, he grabbed it.
This is why अभंग or Unbroken was created. He along with another student from his school, Anahaita Kapoor took their compassion for acid attack survivors and turned it into a viable way they could become financially stable and overcome their fear of going out.
They always had a plan but executing it was not so simple. Their journey hasn’t been a straight one so far. They started by thinking of creating a cloud kitchen where the survivors could cook and bake, but after the first meeting with about 8 survivors they learnt that they couldn’t handle heat. Another difficulty they faced was that the companies they were contacting were not responding. Acid attack survivors, do not seem to be a very large problem for the world to solve. The numbers do not seem too large. But just imagine the reality of a girl whose life changes forever in split seconds, simply because she refused to marry someone, or refused to get into a relationship with her manager, or happened to be an easy target for revenge.
But through determination and perseverance these managed to make some progress. Their biggest partner in this journey has been Shaheen Malik, the founder of the NGO- Brave Soul Foundation.
She has been working on the issues of acid attack and gender based violence since 2013. She suffered a severe attack herself in 2009. She lost an eye, has poor vision in her remaining eye, and severe facial scarring. Living through the trauma herself, she decided to dedicate her life towards the welfare of other acid attack survivors. Over the years, she has built a strong name and credibility for herself, and remains devoted to the cause.
She has opened a shelter, called Apna Ghar, where Acid attack survivors get a home. They are able to pursue studies, learn computers, focus on their mental health and well-being and regain their self-confidence. With Shaheen’s guidance, Kabir and Anahita have firmed up a business plan with 8 other survivors.
Their plan is to create a self-sustaining and scalable business in the makeup industry. As part of this they have begun the process of raising funds, connecting with malls for space for Kiosks, getting survivors trained on make-up skills.
Kabir Kohli and Anahita Kapoor have been juggling this project along with their studies since April. They have support of a teacher from school, Ms. Shalini Thakur, whose continuous guidance keeps them on track.
The Acid attack survivors they are working with inspire them everyday to not give up and keep moving forward. It is indeed inspiring to see these young children, Leaders of Tomorrow, pave the path for a better world!
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
