With an aim that survivor women have equitable opportunities to thrive and participate in inclusive communities,  we  run  Cafe  Sheroes. The Hangout project not only provides employment opportunities to women but also a platform where they come out with courage, a first-of-its-kind initiative in a country where beyond suppression, there’s fierce trauma and a scarred life. The seed of both our cafes is awareness. It’s a fight against stigma, against discrimination,  a battle for normalcy after suffering, and equal opportunities. Through this project, we help these brave survivors to the extent that their families develop faith in them more than they ever did. Hence, Sheroes Hangout is not only a café, it is a substantial project that helps these survivors in as many ways as possible.

OUR CHAPTERS:

The first chapter of the project in Agra was crowdfunded and was officially inaugurated in December 2014. After which we launched the second chapter in Lucknow in March 2016. After these chapters, we learned through experience over the years that the same model can be replicated in the place where many other such acid attack survivor women are still struggling in their lives and need support.

As a working project model, Sheroes Hangout practically makes it possible to reform the stigmas surrounding acid attack survivor women and also help them in the direction of fast medical recovery and justice in their criminal cases. In a cafe, the girls can involve themselves in the commercial activity of hospitality as far as their physical condition allows. Of course, they face some problems at work due to the irreparable damage that has been done but the model of the project is designed keeping in mind some additional staff that shall be there to help and support them where they lack.

• At Sheroes Hangout, we bring such women mostly from economically backward societies, from the grassroots and help them settle in the cities where it can be easy for them to seed growth for themselves and also achieve better in their recovery from the trauma. We help these brave women to the extent that their families develop faith in them more than they ever did. Hence, Sheroes Hangout is not only a café, it is a substantial project that helps these women in as many ways as possible.

SHE + HEROES + HANGOUT = SHEROES HANGOUT

• Sheroes: By the word Sheroes, we meant to bring the brave women who fall victim to violence as front runners. They run a business by getting involved in the business in as many ways possible to earn their livelihood, respect, and dignity. No matter whether these girls fall prey to traumatic violence, the project empowers them to become learning members of their families which due to stigma is possible almost nowhere in the industry. To remind our visitors of these real-life heroes, we call it in rather a feminist derivation as Sheroes.  
• Hangout : To the general public, it becomes worth visiting a place when it also offers a cup of coffee with snacks with friends. That is the style of hangout we do in our society. As a cafe, we also try to deliver that environment to people where they can just walk in with their friends or make some more over some regular food served in any fast-serving food restaurant. In the previous routine of Sheroes Hangout, we have often organized events to make the masses aware through debates, book launches, conferences, and sessions with the acid attack survivors to make our campaign Stop Acid Attacks most strong against violence against women. Seemingly, the café also offers an activity place for people to join in and raise concerns on various social issues in our society.