Pooja was born into an extremely economically weak family and had seven siblings - six sisters and one brother. It was difficult for her father to manage this large household alone. Pooja realized that she wanted to support her father in whichever way she could. Pooja’s elder sister was married into a neighborhood household. At the wedding, Pooja met her sister's brother-in-law, who liked her instantly. Over time their friendship grew into a strong relationship. For a while, things were good. However, as days passed, she realized that he was not everything he seemed. When she confronted him, he lied and denied all the allegations. Pooja was headstrong. She decided to not continue her relationship with a person who did not respect her. She did not want to be in a relationship where there was no security for her. This did not go down well with him. Notably, his mother, who was aware of their relationship, was not in favor of them getting married. She knew Pooja's father was not in a position to pay the dowry they would demand. Pooja decided to break all ties with her ex-boyfriend and move on. She wished to focus on giving a better future to her family. The man however continued to threaten her to accept him or face the dire consequences. One unfortunate morning, when Pooja was on her way to the office, he blocked her way and asked her to rethink her decision. Pooja's response was a brief and simple NO. A word, a denial that changed her life. Her stoic refusal triggered him to the extent that he flung acid at her on the busy street and ran away. Pooja, doused in acid, screamed and cried for help but no one came forward. After hearing her repeated cries some nearby stall vendors came to rescue her and took her home. Pooja felt her skin melting down, a burning sensation that no water could cool down. Her parents rushed her to the hospital, where she underwent treatment for many months. Her treatment was extremely expensive. Her father was not able to afford it. Pooja was terribly burnt with acid; she almost lost vision in one eye. Her ears, neck, hands, and hair on the scalp were all melted too. After the attack, she had confined herself to her house. She completely stopped stepping out of her home. She feared that she’d see him again, her attacker. She was terrified of the constant gaze on her. There were instances when people would scream when looking at her disfigured face. Pooja lost the courage to look at herself in the mirror. While Pooja underwent nearly 40 surgeries, her culprit was arrested and served a jail term of 5 years. A few years after her attack, Pooja got married. Fortunately, after all the hardships she has been through, she is now happily married with 2 children. However, her struggles continue to test her. She received compensation from the government after a long and excruciating period of 11 years. Pooja now wants to work and look after her 2 beautiful children. She aspires to give a better future to her children.