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The same in english.

 

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„Be strong, show your face“

Yerlikaya for Acid Survivors e.V.

The victims:

3144 people have fallen victim to acid attacks only in Bangladesh since May 1999. In addition many people in  Pakistan, Cambodia, Uganda, India and Iran were badly injured by acid attacks. Sometimes the attackers claim that they were denied sexual intercourse or that parents refused a marriage of their daughter. Many times a  dispute about the dowry may lead to an acid attack or an argument between a couple, that has come together in an arranged marriage, may be the cause.  Younger children sleeping in the same bed as the victim are often cauterized by mistake.

As the Acid Survivors Foundation has found out land disputes or quarrels about money or property have led to acid attacks against the wife or daughters of the opponent in the past. Children who want to attend school are also among the victims.

The idea:

The fate of these people has deeply moved german-turkish photographer Hüseyin Yerlikaya. With his foundation “Yerlikaya for Acid Survivors" he wants to draw the attention to the situation in Bangladesh, raise funds and help the victims.

Therefore Mr. Yerlikaya plans an exhibition showing photos of acid victims under the headline „You are strong, show your face”.  Portraits of people celebrating their courage, their hopes and their love of life. Next to those portraits there will be photos of celebreties sponsoring and supporting the victims of acid attacks. Every celebrety shows his or her face for one of the victims and thus condemns these cruel crimes. It will not be a comparison: one victim, one celebrety, next to each other and thus together. By these means Mr. Yerlikaya wants to show the strength and courage of these people.

The project:

Hüseyin Yerlikaya, Rosa Omeñaca Prado and Sascha Pabst are planning a trip to Bangladesh in February 2012. With the help of ASF he is going to make  portraits of victims and of Dhaka. In addition he is going to take pictures of celebreties in the same style: From Germany, from Turkey and from all over the world. “You are strong, show your face” will be the slogan.

At the moment Mannheim based marketing-agency „Kühlhaus“ is preparing the "Yerlikaya for Acid Survivors“-site on the internet. By the end of february the site will go online in five languages. At the same time the agency will create a facebook-site. Afterwards Mr. Yerlikaya is going to contact the celebrities. Every new photo will help to spread the news about the project, which shall last at least two years. Every Facebook-friend will have the opportunity to upload his or her photo in support of the project. 

Once all stars have been photographed, there will be several exhibitions beginning in Germany, Turkey, Spain and France. Admission will be free. To raise funds Mr. Yerlikaya is planning to sell pins showing the logo of the project and copies of the photos. All proceeds will go to Acid Survivors Fundation (House 12, Road 22, Block k, Banani Model Town, Dhaka-1213 Bangladesh, ASF).

Flights, hotels, printing and the costs for the exhibtions will be covered by sponsors. "Yerlikaya for Acid Survivors" is a non-profit organisation based in Mannheim, Germany, and is allowed to issue donation receipts.