Timeline
At Make Love Not Scars, our mission is to provide dignity and independence to acid attack survivors through medical, legal, educational, vocational and psychological rehabilitation. We encourage dreaming big, fighting stereotypes and coming together as a community to ignite hope for a promising future. Below is a map of our organisation’s journey from its inception to present day.
JAN 2014
An idea is sparked
Ria Sharma was just 21 years old and studying at Leeds Arts University in the UK when she came across the photo of an acid attack survivor. Haunted by what she saw, she confided in her professor, Suzy Mason. Suzy handed Ria a camera and told her to go shoot a documentary on the subject. Ria flew to India with nothing but a wish to help and a camera in hand, and the rest is history.
FEB 2014
When one door closes, another opens!
While a documentary would help in spreading awareness, Ria decided that the survivors needed actual help on the ground. She called up her professor and said that she had shelved the idea of a documentary and had now decided to set up a full fledged organisation instead. One that would help in all aspects of rehabilitating acid attack survivors .
DEC 2014
The Make Love Not Scars (MLNS) initiative is launched
Make Love Not Scars was officially registered as a charity under the Societies Act!
APR 2014
Our very first crowdfunding campaign
Ria met numerous survivors, many of whom needed help. She set up her very first crowdfunding campaign for a survivor named Rekha and the money raised was used for Rekha’s surgery and rehabilitation since Rekha had no family support.
DEC 2014
Make Love Not Scars is official. Happy Birthday!
Make Love Not Scars is officially registered as a charity under the Societies Act!
AUG 2015
#EndAcidSale – a spectacular success!
#EndAcidSale campaign is launched in collaboration with Ogilvy and Mather. Next thing you know, Beauty Tips by Reshma is an instant success. The videos receive over 2 million views. The petition, addressed to the Prime Minister of India, demanding an end to over the counter sale of acid receives over 350,000+ signatures. The campaign wins numerous awards such as the Kyoorius Awards, a couple of Effies and multiple Cannes Film Festivals awards including a glass lion!
DEC 2015
Ria’s first TedX: Voicing the dream
Ria, gave her first TedX talk titled “Braving the Brutality” at her Alma Mater – Pathways World School. She was filled with nerves but her conviction about the idea of MLNS was rock solid.
MAR 2016
We open our first rehabilitation center thanks to Magneti Marelli
A representative of Magneti Marelli watched Ria’s Tedx talk and offered a corporate donation to Make Love Not Scars. Thanks to their generosity, MLNS opened the world’s first rehabilitation center of it’s kind for acid attack survivors.
APR 2016
Our team expands
A new rehabilitation center needs fresh faces! Our team expands to include new faces including Tania Singh (our C.E.O.) and Soni Devi (an acid attack survivor hired to manage the. rehabilitation center).
SEP 2016
Reshma Qureshi walks The New York Fashion Week
Reshma Qureshi (the face of Make Love Not Scars) made global headlines when she became the first acid attack survivor to walk the New York Fashion Week! Her journey was covered in the New York Times, Daily Mail, Telegraph and more!
NOV 2016
We say #SkillsNotScars
Make Love Not Scars, in collaboration with Ogilvy and Mather, launched the world’s first job portal for acid attack survivors. Until then, acid attack survivors didn’t have a platform to interact with employers. This first-of-its-kind initiative aimed to change that by putting survivors face to face with employers. The campaign won numerous awards, including the Kyoorius Creative Awards.
MAR 2017
CNBC-TV 18 India Business Leader Award
MLNS became the first non-profit organisation to win the ‘Brand of the Year’ award at the CNBC-TV18 Indian Business Leader Awards – right alongside Maggi 🍜
MAR 2017
India Today Woman of the year
Ria sharma made us proud by winning the India Today Woman of the Year award!
SEP 2017
Ria wins UNICEF Global Goals Awards!
Ria Sharma won the leadership award at the UNICEF Global Goals Awards. The awards are given to individuals who have made significant contribution towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
NOV 2017
#Powerwalk with Lalit Suri Hospitality Group
Over 10 survivors from Make Love Not Scars graced the runway at Kitty Su in clothes donated by India’s leading designers in an aim to spread awareness and raise funds! The beautiful event was sponsored by The Lalit <3
MAR 2018
Forbes 30 under 30
Our founder, Ria Sharma, made us proud by making it to the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia cohort!
NOV 2018
‘Being Reshma’ by Tania and Reshma
Our CEO, Tania Singh, collaborated with acid attack survivor and the face of MLNS, Reshma Qureshi, to publish her memoir, Being Reshma. The book was published by Pan Macmillan and is now going towards its second print! So proud of you both.
NOV 2018
Tania’s first Tedx
Our CEO, Tania Singh, gave her first Tedx talk titled “Ignorance is the biggest scar on the world” – available on YouTube and no, it’s not flawless.
JAN 2019
Ria Launches her book – ‘Make Love Not Scars’
Our founder released her memoir titled Make Love Not Scars which chronicles the journey of the organisation through the stories of the survivors she rehabilitated. A heartwarming book, it’s been published by Amazon Westland and launched at Jaipur Lit Fest 2019!
Timeline
At Make Love Not Scars, our mission is to provide dignity and independence to acid attack survivors through medical, legal, educational, vocational and psychological rehabilitation. We encourage dreaming big, fighting stereotypes and coming together as a community to ignite hope for a promising future. Below is a map of our organisation’s journey from its inception to present day.
JAN 2014
An idea is sparked
Ria Sharma was just 21 years old and studying at Leeds Arts University in the UK when she came across the photo of an acid attack survivor. Haunted by what she saw, she confided in her professor, Suzy Mason. Suzy handed Ria a camera and told her to go shoot a documentary on the subject. Ria flew to India with nothing but a wish to help and a camera in hand, and the rest is history.
FEB 2014
When one door closes, another opens!
While a documentary would help in spreading awareness, Ria decided that the survivors needed actual help on the ground. She called up her professor and said that she had shelved the idea of a documentary and had now decided to set up a full fledged organisation instead. One that would help in all aspects of rehabilitating acid attack survivors .
DEC 2014
The Make Love Not Scars (MLNS) initiative is launched
Make Love Not Scars was officially registered as a charity under the Societies Act!
APR 2014
Our very first crowdfunding campaign
Ria met numerous survivors, many of whom needed help. She set up her very first crowdfunding campaign for a survivor named Rekha and the money raised was used for Rekha’s surgery and rehabilitation since Rekha had no family support.
DEC 2014
Make Love Not Scars is official. Happy Birthday!
Make Love Not Scars is officially registered as a charity under the Societies Act!
AUG 2015
#EndAcidSale – a spectacular success!
#EndAcidSale campaign is launched in collaboration with Ogilvy and Mather. Next thing you know, Beauty Tips by Reshma is an instant success. The videos receive over 2 million views. The petition, addressed to the Prime Minister of India, demanding an end to over the counter sale of acid receives over 350,000+ signatures. The campaign wins numerous awards such as the Kyoorius Awards, a couple of Effies and multiple Cannes Film Festivals awards including a glass lion!
DEC 2015
Ria’s first TedX: Voicing the dream
Ria, gave her first TedX talk titled “Braving the Brutality” at her Alma Mater – Pathways World School. She was filled with nerves but her conviction about the idea of MLNS was rock solid.
MAR 2016
We open our first rehabilitation center thanks to Magneti Marelli
A representative of Magneti Marelli watched Ria’s Tedx talk and offered a corporate donation to Make Love Not Scars. Thanks to their generosity, MLNS opened the world’s first rehabilitation center of it’s kind for acid attack survivors.
APR 2016
Our team expands
A new rehabilitation center needs fresh faces! Our team expands to include new faces including Tania Singh (our C.E.O.) and Soni Devi (an acid attack survivor hired to manage the. rehabilitation center).
SEP 2016
Reshma Qureshi walks The New York Fashion Week
Reshma Qureshi (the face of Make Love Not Scars) made global headlines when she became the first acid attack survivor to walk the New York Fashion Week! Her journey was covered in the New York Times, Daily Mail, Telegraph and more!
NOV 2016
We say #SkillsNotScars
Make Love Not Scars, in collaboration with Ogilvy and Mather, launched the world’s first job portal for acid attack survivors. Until then, acid attack survivors didn’t have a platform to interact with employers. This first-of-its-kind initiative aimed to change that by putting survivors face to face with employers. The campaign won numerous awards, including the Kyoorius Creative Awards.
MAR 2017
CNBC-TV 18 India Business Leader Award
MLNS became the first non-profit organisation to win the ‘Brand of the Year’ award at the CNBC-TV18 Indian Business Leader Awards – right alongside Maggi 🍜
MAR 2017
India Today Woman of the year
Ria sharma made us proud by winning the India Today Woman of the Year award!
SEP 2017
Ria wins UNICEF Global Goals Awards!
Ria Sharma won the leadership award at the UNICEF Global Goals Awards. The awards are given to individuals who have made significant contribution towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
NOV 2017
#Powerwalk with Lalit Suri Hospitality Group
Over 10 survivors from Make Love Not Scars graced the runway at Kitty Su in clothes donated by India’s leading designers in an aim to spread awareness and raise funds! The beautiful event was sponsored by The Lalit <3
MAR 2018
Forbes 30 under 30
Our founder, Ria Sharma, made us proud by making it to the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia cohort!
NOV 2018
‘Being Reshma’ by Tania and Reshma
Our CEO, Tania Singh, collaborated with acid attack survivor and the face of MLNS, Reshma Qureshi, to publish her memoir, Being Reshma. The book was published by Pan Macmillan and is now going towards its second print! So proud of you both.
NOV 2018
Tania’s first Tedx
Our CEO, Tania Singh, gave her first Tedx talk titled “Ignorance is the biggest scar on the world” – available on YouTube and no, it’s not flawless.
