Mental health: Tamanna’s story
In a matter of seconds, Tamanna Begum’s* life changed forever. At 29, she was a mother and homemaker, raising her six-year-old daughter, Nandini*, when her husband threw acid on them both after a family dispute.
The attack left Tamanna Begum with severe burns and deep emotional scars, while her daughter also suffered injuries. For months, they both underwent surgeries, physiotherapy and mental health counselling. The emotional support they received became just as vital as the medical treatment - helping them find the courage to face the trauma and imagine a future beyond survival.
But recovery was not just physical, as her emotional wounds ran deep. She battled depression, fear and stigma and yet despite immense pressure to compromise, Tamanna Begum refused to abandon her legal case and has continued her fight for justice. But her journey has not been easy. Following the loss of her parents, and living alone now after her daughter has grown and married, Tamanna longed to rebuild her life with dignity and independence.
She joined a two-month block and batik training programme, as part of our Mental Health programme. She developed the skills and confidence to dream of running her own small business.
Tamanna Begum now hopes to build a livelihood not just for herself, but one that can also involve her daughter and help other survivors - proof that with the right mental health support, even the deepest wounds can begin to heal.
Her story reflects the experience of many acid attack survivors in Bangladesh. Beyond the devastating physical injuries, the mental scars are profound. Survivors often struggle with trauma, isolation and stigma, making it difficult to reintegrate into society. That is why mental health support is at the heart of our programme. By combining counselling with livelihood training, survivors like Tamanna Begum are not only healing from trauma but regaining their confidence, independence and sense of purpose.
*Names changed for confidentiality purposes. Images are of a variety of participants in the programme, not a named individual.
