Rani was returning from school on a bicycle with her cousin brother when a man came on a bike and threw acid on her. She was in class tenth, and he was a paramilitary officer. Why did he have to commit this heinous crime?

Because he proposed to her, and her answer was ‘NO’.

Recalling my interaction with the brave duo Rani and Saroj, it was the year 2009 that brought irreversible pain and anguish in Rani’s life, but not much changed for her offender. He bribed few policemen to get the case shut and continued to serve in paramilitary. And he had the nerves to get married, too! But the efforts of Mr. Jainarayan Pankaj, Superintendent of Police, finally got him behind the bars after nine years.

Acid took away Rani’s eyesight, but it could not disturb her vision. The maturity with which she’d spoken about the incident told me that. “I have always felt that society and parents play a far bigger role in the development of youth. Existence of heinous crimes like acid attack, rape, and child abuse, directs us to the need of reflecting upon our upbringing. Parents dream for their children to become doctors, engineers, etc., but if along with that they also teach them to become good human beings and to work towards the betterment of society, the rate of criminal minds would be far less.”

With Saroj’s help and support, Rani stepped out of the mental and physical trauma, but losing her eyesight remained as her biggest handicap, “I used to feel helpless seeing myself become a burden on my mother. I asked people around if they could help me do something, and that’s when one of my friends gave me the idea of Google. We searched “career options for acid attack victims” and that’s how I got to know about the organization ‘Stop Acid Attack’, and came in contact with its co-founder, Mr. Alok Dixit.”

Soon, Rani joined the habitat management team of Sheroes Hangout, Lucknow, and meanwhile Saroj proposed to her on Valentine’s Day!

“After meeting Rani I understood the true meaning of struggle, and the strength it takes to face difficulties in life. The background we come from, where families pose many restrictions on their daughters, Rani has lived a life of warrior. After her father passed away, she dealt with all the atrocities for her mother and two sisters. Rani has taught me to keep walking, and to keep spreading happiness no matter what happens in life. She is a beautiful person in and out.” That was Saroj.

This Valentine’s Day they exchanged the rings for real! And now together they wish to open a Sheroes Hangout in Orissa!

So Rani and Saroj need your help in making their wish come true. ‘Sheroes’ are women who have fought to survive after receiving a debilitating blow to their appearance and self-esteem. It is the acid attack survivors that solely run the hangout, and they come from various backgrounds and diverse level of competences. These women depict the courage to live, work and walk in the midst of the society, and force the society to reevaluate its norms about beauty and appearance. It aims to transform the acid attack survivors into successfully empowered earning women, making them an individual cult of inspiration among other survivors to be seen as “Sheroes” that sounds empowering in a strong positive connotation.

“Working hard is important. But there is something that matters even more, believing in yourself.” This is Rani’s current status on Facebook. She has complete belief in her potential and intention, but it is only with your help that she can make her wish come true. Visit the link (details below) to help Rani and Saroj make their and many other acid attack survivors’ dream come true!

For more details: milaap.org/fundraisers/ranisaroj