Sheroes Hangout Café opens in Noida

Two kiosks of Sheroes Hangout Café, a model coffeehouse run by survivors of acid attacks, were opened at the Noida stadium on Tuesday as part of a joint project by Chhanv Foundation, a non-profit organisation, and the Noida authority

Two kiosks of Sheroes Hangout Café, a model coffeehouse run by survivors of acid attacks, were opened at the Noida stadium on Tuesday as part of a joint project by Chhanv Foundation, a non-profit organisation, and the Noida authority.

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Two such cafés, under the aegis of Chhanv Foundation have been operating in Agra and Lucknow since 2014.

“The project aims to employ acid attack survivors. This initiative will help them become self-reliant,” said Ritu Maheshwari, chief executive officer of the Noida authority.

Gautam Budh Nagar Member of Parliament Mahesh Sharma and Noida MLA Pankaj Singh officially inaugurated the kiosks at an event.

“We need to start more such initiatives so that we can help acid attack survivors become self-reliant and lead a better life. We are always there to extend a helping hand to support such projects and victims,” said Sharma.

“Acid attack survivors have a difficult time even being accepted in society, let alone getting work. Their trauma is made more difficult to endure by a culture that restricts their development,” said Alok Dixit, director, Chhanv Foundation.

In Lucknow and Agra, ‘Sheroes Hangout’ has two branches that accommodate and employ 30 survivors. “Our objective, however, is much broader; we want to assist as many survivors as possible. This is where Sheroes 2.0 comes into play. The kiosk centre will have an immediate impact on survivors’ lives, taking them one step closer to the life they’ve always wanted,” he said.