Rupali

Rupali was a girl of 14 years in 2003 and lived in Moksudpur, Sherpur. She had to refuse the marriage proposal of her cousin. Later she was married off to someone else. So, her cousin took a revenge on her. Just after 2 days of marriage he threw acid to her. Rupali was brought to Acid Survivors Foundation (ASF) Hospital and after a prolonged treatment she was sent home. Her father filed a case in court and the defendant was sentenced to death for the crime. Rupali faced some challenges corresponding to this incident. People around her hardly took her normally. They used to verbally abuse her, were not much friendly to her. She was not very well even in her family too. That’s why she used to cover her face to get out. She intended to turn around from all the odds. Facilitated by ASF bio-psycho-social support she starts working in a renowned beauty parlor called Persona in 2006. She becomes experienced in different haircut, eyebrow pluck, facials, manicure and pedicure, applying henna, hair bleaching, body massage spa and other beautification during her work in here for ten years. With her experience and innovation she establishes a beauty parlor of her own in Mirpur and names it ‘Rupali Spa and Beauty World’. She runs her business with all her skills and dedication and achieves goodwill in the locality. Establishing this parlor was never easy for her. The inhabitants were not happy to let her run a business in the residential area. They didn’t allow her to fit the signboard. She took time to talk with them, particularly with the owner of the place. She later convinced them. She later was able to establish good vicinity for ladies in her parlor. A parlor should have an environment so that women and girls feel secured. Now Rupali lives in Dhaka with her husband and 2 children. She is quite known to her neighborhood and participates in the social gatherings regularly. She thinks at last she is able to set her in the mainstream of the life.