BENGALURU: Life was hard for acid attack survivor Anmol Rodriguez but despite all odds, she is now a proud model and founder of an NGO called Acid Attack Survivor Sahas Foundation.
In an interaction with CE ahead of her visit to the city on Saturday, the Mumbai-based model will also be conducting a motivational workshop with her team, Likee, a global short video creation platform started by Singapore-based BIGO Technology, to share her life’s journey and inspire others around her.
She endured an acid attack by her father when she was two months old. Her father poured acid on Rodriguez and her mother, intending to end their lives. While her mother succumbed to her injuries, the infant was left behind to face the world alone. “Life, in general, became hard for me, and I had to go through various surgeries to suppress the impact of acid on my body. I lost an eye and continue to live her life with an injured face. I was sent to an orphanage where I spent my childhood with a hope to craft a better future,” Rodriguez says with a smile.
She is working her way to become the first commercial acid-attack survivor model and is dedicating her life to uplift the spirits of acid-attack survivors. Rodriguez also focuses on counselling and providing employment opportunities for survivors through her NGO. To expand reach of her message and mission further, she is also leveraging Likee and inspiring others under #Likeedreams initiative.
Talking about what a model does and what her experience has been as a model, 23-year-old Rodriguez says, “Models pose for artists, photographers, or customers to help advertise a variety of products, including clothing, cosmetics, food, and appliances. They also work as a fit or fitting model, enabling the manufacturer or fashion designer to achieve the best fit for new styles. I believe I have a strong self-confidence that makes me stand out as a model. Every influencer or a celebrity who has huge reach towards people must utilise their power to bring positivity in awareness in the society.”
She is also a strong believer in defying society’s set norms of beauty standards. “I believe everyone is beautiful in their own uniqueness. Whether the person is dark, fat, thin, or having scars, everyone is beautiful. Don’t demotivate yourself and don’t let anyone demotivate you. Be positive, confident and focused towards your aim. Every revolution starts with your own determination,” she says.
Rodriguez concludes by saying that she now dreams of a dream date and a breakfast with actor Priyanka Chopra as she has always been her inspiration.