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“When a girl is attacked with acid, society thinks it must be her fault. She has to give up on her studies. She’s unable to find a job due to her appearance. She gets judged everywhere she goes because of how she looks. My attackers also think that they’ll tire me into giving up this fight against acid attacks. Through me, a lot of survivors find the hope to persevere in their fight too. I will stand by everyone, in their personal battles against acid attacks.” - Shaheen Malik, Founder, Brave Souls
MokimaIn 2011, a boy in her neighbourhood became deeply enthralled with 14-year-old Mokima and stalked her relentlessly. Upon being confronted by her family, he demanded that she be married off to him. Mokima’s family only took it as a joke as he was too young, and sent him on his way. But a few days later, the boy’s mother sought Mokima out and threatened her to stay away from him. Though she heeded to the woman’s warning, it didn’t stop the boy’s pursuit of her. Days later, Mokima’s life changed forever when the woman acted upon her threat and left her with burns across her face.
“I was attacked by my stalker’s mother because she wanted to put a stop to her son’s obsession with me and so they used acid to disfigure me.” - Mokima
ReemaReema was married off at the young age of 13. Her father died when she was a child, and her mother single-handedly raised her and her 3 siblings. Being dirt poor, Reema’s family couldn’t pay the dowry, which led to her becoming a victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her in-laws. When she escaped from them and returned to her mother's house, her husband sought her out and beat her until she bled and miscarried her child. Then, he conspired with her uncle, who had been in conflict with her family over property matters, and they made sure Reema would never be able to read and write again.
“My abusive husband and my uncle attacked me with acid so they could kill me and my dreams without taking my life away.” - Reema
By no fault of their own, these women became victims of an acid attack and their lives were never the same thereafter. Unfortunately, they are not lone cases - numerous acid crimes are perpetrated each day against women and men alike, and the cases are often overlooked by the law and justice system due to an apparent lack of resources and attention for victims. This is a reality that ‘Brave Souls’ is striving to change.
39-year-old Shaheen Malik, an acid attack survivor herself, has dedicated her life to helping survivors in horrifying conditions by providing aid at the right time. She established her foundation in 2021 with the aim of reaching out to more ‘Brave Souls’ like her.
Shaheen aspired to become a doctor or IAS official, and was pursuing her MBA while working as part-time student counsellor before she was attacked with acid by a few jealous colleagues in broad daylight. She suffered from excruciating physical pain and underwent multiple surgeries and medical treatments. However she lost an eye in the process, and partial vision in the other.
She found it difficult to come to terms with her new disfigurement, was haunted by nightmares of the attack and felt alone in her suffering. It took her a while to rebuild her life, and when she did, she decided she was done hiding. When she stepped out into the world after her attack, she realised there were a lot of other people who were on the same boat as her. The acid attack may have burned her face, but it didn’t kill her spirit. She vowed to help her fellow survivors get back on their feet, and decided to pursue social-work as a full-time career.
Over the years, Shaheen has helped more than 300 acid attack survivors seek legal counsel, medical care and job placements. Through her Foundation, Brave Souls, she provides them with the support they need - treatment, medicines, daily necessities, counselling, therapy and education. Determined to fight for justice and bring awareness to this overlooked crime, she is also working to eliminate the sale and ease of access to acids.
She wants to continue doing this and more for other survivors out there, but the lack of funds pose an obstacle in reaching out to them. Shaheen needs your support to empower more survivors to overcome and move forward from their trauma. She appeals for help from the community, so she can reach people who can’t reach her, including hapless victims in rural areas.
Charity No : 319201431163
“With your help, we can enable survivors to undergo surgery. There are many survivors who need education, and we can provide that to them and their kids. Your contributions will help us bring back the smiles on their faces.” - Shaheen
Click here to donate and join Shaheen in her mission to bring justice and a promise of a good life to acid attack survivors.
