Unfortunately, acid attacks in India has become common and once in a while the victims get media attention and even Justice. But the life after such incidents is not easy. The scars both physically and emotional are permanent and the people around us makes sure that you never forget them. It is very difficult for the acid victims to get a job and marriage. Leading a normal is very dangerous.

An initiative was taken by the Stop Acid Attacks campaign and the Chaanv Foundation, to support and bring some hope in the life’s of the acid attack victims.

Sheroes Hangout,a café in Agra close to the Taj Mahal in Agra, India is one such place designed to give them the confidence to show their faces in public after being disfigured and working to make a difference.

“The new wave feminism evolves at the Hangout through critical issues that cripple women and devoid them of equal opportunities. The irony is such issues are abundant in South-Asian cultures, and it is this irony that pushed our Sheroes to set this Hangout here, in the city that boasts of the monument of love,” reads a message on the café’s website.

“The idea behind opening this café was not only to run a business but also to run an activity centre to spread awareness,” says Ashish Shukla, a lead campaigner for Stop Acid Attacks.
“People think that acid attack victims are from the outer world. Sheroes is an effort to make them believe that they are from this world only. Since we as a society are responsible for their scars, it is our responsibility to fix it and bring them into the mainstream of society,” she added.

The women who were a part of the cafe said that their new building is a symbol of love to encourage changes in society and attitudes that would prevent future attacks on women.

In recent days, the initiative taken by the Stop Acid Attacks campaign and the Chaanv Foundation making rounds in the social networking media and hope this would change the attitude of the society towards the acid victims. The cafe is located at the Fatehabad road opposite to the Taj Mahal Gateway, it almost took a month to come up with an initial investment of about
RS. 3 lakhs, most of the money was raised from the websited, which was dedicated to Nitu an acid survivor.

All the workers in the cafe are acid victims, they will take orders from the customer, arranges the tables and at the end mop the cafe. The cafe was inspired by the beauty salon in Pakistan which was intiated for the acid victims. The 5 women who were employed in the cafe are acid survivors.

Ritu Saini, 20, was attacked in Haryana, a state in Northern India, three years ago by her cousin whose romantic advances she rejected. After 10 reconstructive surgeries, that were “as painful as the attack itself,” Ritu lost her left eye.

“Before Sheroes, I used to cover my face,” Ms. Saini said. “I wanted to know why he did this to me.”

Now, as the cafe’s floor manager, she walks around with her face on show and encourages other women to do the same. “I want every girl to believe in herself,” she says.

Ms. Saini is also learning English. “Now, I am busy. I am forgetting. I don’t care to know why he did it.”