Julie Kumari, a little girl in India is undergoing her first surgery since suffering horrific facial injuries in an acid attack intended for her mother.
Julie who’s now seven years, from Fatehpur, in Uttar Pradesh, was just four when she was splashed with acid as her father targeted her mother in a jealous rage.
She was left with severe burns to her face, arm, neck and chest in the attack four years ago – but due to her mother’s poor salary she has never been offered any surgery.
Her mother, Rani Devi, 31, who works whenever she can earn Rs150 a day (£2), said: ‘It’s been devastating watching her suffer all these years. It used to hurt her to eat, talk and smile. Everything was a struggle for her. And it killed me inside that I couldn’t help her.’
In May, 2013, Julie’s father Manish, 40, was angry with Rani for leaving him and re-marrying.
He was filled with so much jealousy and rage he intended to pour acid on Rani and her new husband Heera Lal, 35, as they slept.
But the acid was poured on little Julie instead, also catching Lal, who was sleeping next to her.
Both were rushed to a nearby government hospital but Lal, who suffered 60 per cent burns, eventually died from infection.
Julie suffered 40 per cent burns, affecting the majority of her upper body, and Rani had to sell her farm to pay for the hospital fees.
But doctors discharged her within ten days saying she would be scarred for life and there was nothing more they could do.
Rani and Julie returned home with nothing and as Julie’s injuries healed her quality of life diminished.
‘She couldn’t do anything,’ Rani said. ‘It broke my heart to watch her every day. I lost my husband, I didn’t want to lose my daughter too. I cried every night seeing by daughter in that condition. I desperately wanted her to get better. But my financial condition didn’t allow me to help my child.’
In time, Alok Singh and his team, from Chhanv Foundation, a charity that helps acid attack survivors and founded the Stop Acid Attacks campaign, came to know of Julie’s situation and offered to help her get admitted to a hospital, free of charge.
Her first surgery was done three months ago at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences hospital (SGPGI), in Lucknow, where doctors operated on the skin contracted around her neck so she could move her head.
Julie is now being prepared for more surgery next month on her left eye. She will also undergo plastic surgery on her face to correct the deformities.
She said: ‘I’m so happy that good people exist on this earth. The fact one person came forward and helped my child with her treatment is just amazing. I can never thank them enough.’
Chhanv Foundation are now raising funds to help improve the family’s living standards, so Julie has a hygienic environment post-surgery.
Alok Singh said: ‘When we were creating a database of acid attack cases in each district in India we come to know about Julie. We decided to visit her but when we first saw her we were shocked to see how bad a condition she was in.
‘They were living in a one-room house with no electricity and she’d never had any treatment over all these years. It was tragic.
‘But now, treatment has begun and things can only get better for her. She’s now preparing to undergo more surgeries over the coming months.’
