Note from Director
I was 21 years old when I discovered what an acid attack was. It was a photograph that shook me to my core. I was studying
in Singapore at Singapore Management University and had I never seen the photograph, I would not be leading Make Love Not Scars
today. This one incident taught me the power of awareness.
As college students, many of you must have faced crossroads in your lives - is it worth it to say something? Should I read this article?
Is it important to know the truth or live in oblivion? Many of you might have also doubted yourselves and your own unique talents and skills.
Will posting a heartbreaking photo of animal abuse really make a difference? Will creating a graphic on domestic violence even matter? Will anyone care?
To you all, I say, had that random photographer whose name I don’t remember never have taken that one photograph and posted it on social media, I would not be where I am.
Make Love Not Scars started out with the initial goal to fund medical care for acid attack survivors. With each new case, we realized that there was a lot more aid needed on the ground. For example, survivors post-op had nowhere to go and would have to return to the same abusive homes, being attacked with acid yet again. We then started a rehabilitation center that also acts as a residential facility for survivors who need it. Then, we decided that to build a sustainable model, survivors should be self-sufficient. To achieve this goal, we started funding therapy, classes, and skill training sessions - even helping survivors find jobs. As our campaigns to spread awareness about acid attacks triggered global conversations beginning in 2015, we momentarily believed that we had made a difference. Little did we know that the battle was just beginning. It’s been 5 years, and the number of cases being reported is only increasing annually.
With the onset of Covid-19, the challenges our survivors faced became larger-than-life. Many lost sole-earning family members. Many lost jobs. They needed access to the internet and gadgets to work from home. Their children did too! Since then, we started funding the annual school fees, tuition, and electronics required by their children. Our hope is that the cycle of abuse ends now and that the children of acid attack survivors can go on to live beautiful, productive lives.
As the CEO of Make Love Not Scars, I have often wondered why. Why are the number of cases increasing? Is it because acid is still easily available over-the-counter? Perhaps. After all, after Chapaak was released, Deepika Padukone went undercover and bought 27 bottles of acid for as cheap as Rs 40/liter; all within the span of just a few hours. For now, it is too early to know. However, the one thing I do know is that complex problems can not be solved unless we understand the extent of the problem. To truly understand the extent of a problem, we also must shed light on problems as and when they arise. Spreading awareness is the first step to making a difference in the world and for now, I will sign off by saying that each and every action has a ripple effect - pick a cause you care about and learn everything you can about it. Tell the world about it, but always remember, sometimes the world isn’t ready for the changes you want to make, and in times like those, use your voice with grace and dignity; pick your battles wisely and the world will be a far wiser place than it is today.
