Indian cafes that employ acid attack victims help fund their treatment and rehabilitation

The Taj Mahal, an ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, sees tens of thousands of visitors every day, many drawn by the enduring tale of a husband’s love for his favourite wife.

Just a few kilometres away from the site built to immortalise the couple’s romance, a cafe established to help women whose lives were marred by tragedy and violence, many at the hands of their husbands, stands in stark contrast.

The women, who are victims of acid attacks, are hired as waitresses to help them reintegrate into society.

At the spacious Sheroes Hangout in northern Agra, which offers Indian and Western foods and beverages, the profits are used to fund the treatment and rehabilitation of the survivors of acid attacks, an unfortunately common occurrence in Indian society.

Sheroes Hangout employees join members of Agra’s police force outside the Taj Mahal as part of an awareness campaign. Photo: Facebook/Sheroes Hangout

On an afternoon in autumn 2024, a large group of tourists visiting for lunch snapped photos of the smiling staff who wore T-shirts saying: “My beauty is my smile.”