Survivors of acid attacks in India have become the face of a new clothing range designed by a woman who had acid thrown in her face, by her step-mom, while she was asleep. This is what the power of dreams are....Read on...Dream ON...
Life becomes miser when no one is there to support you and it become worst when your own people back stab you. The backstab could also cost your life and if you are left alive, then it is nothing more than a crawling life craving for nictate of happiness.
It was none other than her stepmother who poured acid on Rupa's face while she was sleeping in her native village in Uttar Pradesh. She did not want to survive that time.
This incident happened roughly 5 years ago.
It is difficult to imagine her pain when Rupa narrates how she suffered living with her stepmother after her mother's demise when she was a kid. She says she couldn't sense her mother could do this to her, though she was living in constant fear with her. Her stepmother tried her best to kill Rupa and left her without any first aid for 6 hours until her uncle reached and moved Rupa to a nearby hospital.
She has been living with her uncle in Faridabad since then. When the facilities at the local hospital seemed inefficient in providing any relief to the girl, her uncle got Rupa to Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi, where she was admitted for the next 3 months.
Rupa has, since then, undergone 7 surgeries and has spent a decent amount on her treatment. It was fate and her uncle who saved Rupa from dying, but her life remained quite a struggle in the aftermath of the horrendous acid attack. Her uncle, who owns a barber shop in Faridabad, found it extremely difficult to arrange for such financial aid on an ongoing basis.
Rupa's stepmother, who threw acid on her, was out on bail and started living with her father. While the accused went scot free, Rupa struggled to live each day. The innocent girl that she was, Rupa did not even know the total expenditure on her treatment. Her uncle, went under debt after getting Rupa treated at Safdarjung, and wanted to send her back to her inhuman parents.
Rupa did not want to go to her village and wanted to lead an independent life.
She just hung on in life there. She hoped for something better to happen to her. She was waiting, and wanting desperately to change this course of life. She was looking for a breakthrough. She was ready to receive the 'vibes'. And when you are ready, HE has to intervene. HE does it for everyone. Each one of us are sent here on a very specific purpose, and he keeps directing us to that purpose, until we understand it and start chasing it. Our inner calling will keep pulling us.
She just hung on in life there. She hoped for something better to happen to her. She was waiting, and wanting desperately to change this course of life. She was looking for a breakthrough. She was ready to receive the 'vibes'. And when you are ready, HE has to intervene. HE does it for everyone. Each one of us are sent here on a very specific purpose, and he keeps directing us to that purpose, until we understand it and start chasing it. Our inner calling will keep pulling us.
There will be a seemingly dead end where you will not see any way out. All will seem to be lost. That is when something within us will rise and re-discover our inner strengths to conquer the situation.This uprising will transform us and make us deserving of true success and glory. ~ Dream On
The fighter Rupa, liked to stitch clothes, and design garments of her own. Even in the darkest of hours, when she was fighting the prejudices that followed after she was attacked by acid, Rupa chose to wake up to her dream of opening her own boutique.
Rupa, then walked together with an organisation named as 'Stop Acid Attacks Campaign' to fight for justice for herself and other acid attack fighters. And Stop Acid Attacks Campaign helped Rupa to start living a peaceful life, while earning her own bread.
Rupa now wanted to make her childhood dream come true. She always loved stitching clothes and wanted to be a designer. She wanted to leave all the setbacks behind. She knew that all these setbacks were a stepping stone to her dreams. Without all those setbacks, she may not have resolved herself to dream higher and might have just lead an ordinary life. She was now dreaming of setting up her own boutique and work towards becoming financially independent.
Rupa, 22, says 'I always wanted to be a designer but after the attack there was a pause in my life. I was so insecure and embarrassed by my scars I used to cover my face with a scarf.'
But did these setbacks in life stop Rupa from becoming what she always wanted to? Or these setbacks would guide her in the required direction? Yes, it is always the latter, if one understands that setbacks are GOD's way to guide you in the right direction. That is the spirit of Dream On.
"But I always hung onto my dream, though I never knew that one day it would be possible and I would be launching my own brand." says Rupa
After the attack, Rupa teamed up with the 'Stop Acid Attacks charity' who run Chhaon, a support centre for survivors, and began designing clothes.
After years of persistent hard work, Rupa, now has her own clothing boutique in Delhi, which not only takes care of her own financial needs but employs many other acid attack survivors as staff. That is the mission she was sent here for - To help other acid attack victims. And without her undergoing the pain, she may have never took this direction.
Every setback is a little nudge from HIM to Dream On ~ Dream On subtitle
Rupa says: “Chhaon has helped me feel confident again and believe in myself. I have always loved fashion and tailoring but I never thought I could start my own label. This is the first time I have presented my clothes and I am glad to see them being appreciated.”
Rupa's design started to gain popularity very soon...
Her dreams started to grow. The next big thing they did was that with the help of the charity, they asked ace photographer Rahul Saharan to organise a photoshoot for all such girls who have gone through this trauma in their lives. Rupa's life was now, not only meant to elevate her own life. It was there to elevate many more lives.
You know you are on a mission if you are positively impacting the lives of others - helping them get on with life. ~ Dream OnMr Saharan did exactly that, and he described the response to his work as overwhelming. “I have been associated with Chhaon for the last two-and-half years but this is the first time I feel like I've put my skills to good use to help these lovely girls. I feel blessed to have got this exclusive opportunity.”
Saharan adds,
"I kept telling the girls 'don't let others tell you what beauty is, you yourself are beautiful, every woman is beautiful'."
Saharan also believes that these models define “beauty and courage” on his Facebook page. His gallery from the shoot has been shared over 2,000 times.
'This photo shoot is my tribute to all the brave women across the globe who have gone through this gruesome torture. I'm glad that I could do my part in supporting them,' he added.
He is now hoping to organize a photo exhibition to help the acid attack survivors with the proceeds.
'I never imagined my dreams could come true but now I believe, with hard work and a little support, anything is possible.' says Rupa, who now owns the Rupa brand of dress designs.
So, this was the story for now - a story of an entrepreneur and not a victim.
You may want to visit 'stopacidattacks.org' to support these girls.
And to get involved with Rupa's designs visit: www.bitgiving.com/project/index/id/BIT102
Are you ready to Dream On in life, and get set to lead an extraordinary life?
Catch hold of this epic story of a dreamer, catch hold of the book.. Dream On.
Catch hold of this epic story of a dreamer, catch hold of the book.. Dream On.
Like it? Share it then. You may make someone's day or life.
Cheers
Manoj Arora
Stay happy.... always !!
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