Tale of a Brave Girl: A life Full of Dreams and Examples

Anju, this fifteen years old girl, had never thought of the cost for resisting an attempt of sexual assault. But this brave girl, as she was, put of a brave fight with the offenders and came out unscathed.

But Anju had more ill fate in store. One of the four frustrated accused chased Anju and cut off one of her arms with sharp-edged weapon in vendetta, before running away with the chopped-off arm as a trophy. Incidentally, the accused had targeted Anju’s neck with the weapon which eventually hacked her right arm while trying to defending herself. This left Anju profusely bleeding and unconscious. Anju was taken to hospital where she regained consciousness to tell the tragic tale.

Smile’s Women’s Empowerment team responded quickly, attended to her medical needs and committed to make Anju stand on her own feet.

On that fateful day Anju was on her way back from market when four men overpowered and dragged her to the nearby field. The perpetrators intended to assault her sexually owing to past vendetta. One of the accused had been passing lewd comments publicly to this gullible girl for sometime.

Anju is the second one among eight siblings, born to poor parents in Achalda village in Auraiya district, 250 km from Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. After receiving news of Anju’s distress, Team Smile rushed to the Kanpur hospital, where Anju had been admitted and committed to support for all the medical expenses. Smile Foundation got to work on Anju’s rehabilitation options while she was recuperating from the trauma. Anju then made to go through physiotherapy so that she could use her left hand for all purpose which is spared. Counseling was given to her just to ensure that she would not run away from the situation and face it bravely.

Anju, this brave girl, has been adopted under Smile’s Individual Support Programme [ISP].

Smile Foundation has taken the responsibility of supporting Anju’s education and health at Salaam Baalak Trust, one of our partner organizations, that helps Anju to get self-sustainable by educating her and providing vocational training in DCCW. Anju says, “I will learn, and one day I will become a good human being. I feel comfortable and satisfied in my home (Rehabilitation Centre).”

Anju is going through non-formal education in Delhi at one of Smile Foundation sponsored centres. ‘Anju has ability to understand things quickly and also retain them. She is good at painting and prefers dark colour’ – reads her report card.

Anju loves dancing and she even imitates her friends dancing. Mimicry is what Anju can give other students a run for their money. She loves watching movie and fond of music.

Anju is today a girl with a dream of her own; sometimes restless to achieve them.