Chennai: In 2011, Krishnaa (name changed) was just out of school, excited to be joining a college in Chennai a week later. Unable to handle situations at home, Krishnaa immolated herself then, only to survive.
Even as she was undergoing treatment to cope with the trauma, situations at her home remained worse, compelling her to think of embracing death again.
Tormented by thoughts of suicide, she moved to live at a shelter run by an NGO, International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC), while undergoing therapy and regular counseling sessions.
“I told mam, whom I met when I was admitted to t KMC after surviving self-immolation,” she tells, fondly praising ‘mam’ — Prasanna Gettu, who is the founder of PCVC. “I told her that it was becoming increasingly difficult to stay at home. With her help, I moved to Chennai, and started going to college as well.”
Speaking about others around her, she added that people were quick to jump to conclusions and they used to get uncomfortable seeing the scars that are spread on her arms and neck.
“After finishing graduation, I got an opportunity to learn culinary skills,” she said, now having completed three months of being a chef at Writer’s Café in Gopalapuram.
When asked about what she loves cooking, she remarked, “Pizza!” Having taken a liking to her job and most importantly to people around her, Krishnaa feels independent and strong, though she is away from home. “I hope one day I could start a café where many other women like me can be empowered through jobs,” she added.
Like her is Fareeha (name changed), another burn survivor from Ramanad, who has been fighting struggles like severe burns as well as partial blindness to find a career for herself.
She is able to see only 25 per cent as her cornea got destroyed in the fire. After having undergone at least 18 surgeries, Fareeha is better and happy to be working as an assistant administrator at a logistics company in the city.
“It was difficult initially because people would be uncomfortable to work with me. But with time, they got used to it,” she said. “I joined as a receptionist over three years back, and now at the office also, I have friends.”
A writer of poetry, a fan of cooking, she loves talking to people on the phone and also likes being an informal counselor at times. Cheerful and spreading smiles through her antics, she likes spending her free time writing. Most of Fareeha’s poems are based on eyes.
