Mom came in calling out to wake me up, 5:15 am, this Saturday, it was time for a walk in a nearby jungle-like area. I woke up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, stared at myself in the mirror for 10 whole minutes, until mom broke my trance and purged me to get ready.
I freshened up and changed into crisp clothes, tied my laces and went out the door with Mumma. Noticing the hues of the shaded pink sky, I breathed the cool air in, 'It is indeed going to be a good day' I thought, it was a good day, just laced with surprises!
We walked up to the place where the jungle began in complete silence, in awe of the morning eathly beauty, We then began to walk through dense forest, along the narrow cleared path. Hundreds of crickets chirping, birds singing along and the busy bees working around their huge beehives, I was bewitched. Mom narrated stories of her childhood along the way as she saw trees that reminded her of the olden days, the imli tree being her favourite! She knew the names of most trees which made me realise how much our generation has lost touch with nature, I could barely identify a few types of flora but she knew exactly how they smelt, looked and felt like! I fancy having a childhood like hers, with lemon, guava, mango and other trees in my backyard :( (especially because I love fresh lemon and guava). We saw cashew trees and other plantations, so I began to think that this must be an area that is looked after by someone, I was right. I saw a small balwadi (Indian pre-school run by NGOs) in the interiors of the jungle. It was necessary to have one there as the forest caretakers could not have been able to afford other schools in Goregaon.
Because of a cramp in my leg, I decided to walk back home and let mom continue, and that was when I got a great shock.
Two young girls, hand in hand, (one slightly older and the other looked like a 6 year old) came walking toward me from a distance but the younger's face and skin looked deformed to me. As they came closer, I saw that the girl's body was acid-burnt from cheek to toe! I asked them if they went to school to which they refused. Then I finally somehow forced myself to ask the younger one as to what happened to her body, and the older one explained that her own mother had poured kerosene over her. I was shocked, I couldn't believe what I had heard, and before I could ask her what she had done to deserve that, they walked away...
Since then all I keep asking myself is that:
1. Is there something I could do to help her out?
2. Is there surgery to fix her skin?
3. Should I approach her family and get them counselling help?
4. What exactly must she have done to deserve her mother's wrath?
5. Can a mother really do that to her own offspring?
6. Is kerosene so cheap that the poor caretakers would buy that to harm people and not save the money for something better?
7. Should I contact an NGO?
8. Should I sponsor their education?
9. Was her mother forced into doing this?
10. Could she (the mother) have been a victim to the pressure of giving birth to a boy and hence the anger?
I do not know! Her face is going to be on my mind for months! If you know anyone who can help acid attack victims, please message me on Facebook, would love to do something for that girl! And if you know any other acid attack victims, then too you could let me know, I will do all that's in my power to help. Thank you. :(
-Gautami Kawale
I freshened up and changed into crisp clothes, tied my laces and went out the door with Mumma. Noticing the hues of the shaded pink sky, I breathed the cool air in, 'It is indeed going to be a good day' I thought, it was a good day, just laced with surprises!
Because of a cramp in my leg, I decided to walk back home and let mom continue, and that was when I got a great shock.
Two young girls, hand in hand, (one slightly older and the other looked like a 6 year old) came walking toward me from a distance but the younger's face and skin looked deformed to me. As they came closer, I saw that the girl's body was acid-burnt from cheek to toe! I asked them if they went to school to which they refused. Then I finally somehow forced myself to ask the younger one as to what happened to her body, and the older one explained that her own mother had poured kerosene over her. I was shocked, I couldn't believe what I had heard, and before I could ask her what she had done to deserve that, they walked away...
Since then all I keep asking myself is that:
1. Is there something I could do to help her out?
2. Is there surgery to fix her skin?
3. Should I approach her family and get them counselling help?
4. What exactly must she have done to deserve her mother's wrath?
5. Can a mother really do that to her own offspring?
6. Is kerosene so cheap that the poor caretakers would buy that to harm people and not save the money for something better?
7. Should I contact an NGO?
8. Should I sponsor their education?
9. Was her mother forced into doing this?
10. Could she (the mother) have been a victim to the pressure of giving birth to a boy and hence the anger?
I do not know! Her face is going to be on my mind for months! If you know anyone who can help acid attack victims, please message me on Facebook, would love to do something for that girl! And if you know any other acid attack victims, then too you could let me know, I will do all that's in my power to help. Thank you. :(
-Gautami Kawale
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