During the holiday season, while many of us are surrounded by joy and abundance, there are those in our community who struggle to provide even the most basic holiday meal for their families. I am writing to appeal to your kindness and generosity to support acid attack survivors in Uganda, who face these hardships head-on.

Acid attacks are brutal crimes that leave survivors with physical and psychological scars. These individuals often endure long and painful rehabilitation processes, with medical costs that can quickly become overwhelming. For many survivors, the holidays, a time meant for celebration and family, become particularly challenging due to financial constraints.

The costs associated with recovery and day-to-day living leave many survivors unable to enjoy simple pleasures, like sharing a festive meal or participating in holiday traditions with loved ones. Your support can help bridge this gap, providing survivors with the resources they need to enjoy the comforts of the season and to experience the love and warmth of our community.

Why am I doing this?

During the Christmas holiday of 2011, I lay in a hospital bed fighting for my life after surviving an acid attack. Around me, other survivors did not make it. I watched people die simply because help came too late. In that moment, I made a promise: if I lived, my life would be used to help others survive.

In 2012, I left the hospital alive—but completely maimed. I had lost my face, but not my purpose. Survival was no longer just about me. I could not forget those who never walked out of that hospital.

That promise became a mission.

In 2014, I founded the Center for Rehabilitation of Survivors of Acid and Burns Violence (CERESAV) so that no survivor would face this journey alone. CERESAV provides lifesaving medical and surgical support, nutrition, psychosocial care, rehabilitation, community reintegration, and education for survivors’ children. It is a place where lives are rebuilt, dignity is restored, and hope is reignited.

At CERESAV, survivors learn to dream again. They heal—not only physically, but emotionally and socially. They find belonging after unimaginable loss.

Your generosity makes this possible.

When you give to CERESAV, you help keep survivors alive. You keep children in school. You help women and men return to their communities with confidence, skills, and hope. Your gift tells a survivor: your life still matters.

Every acid attack survivor needs a source of hope—someone willing to stand in the gap between suffering and survival.
Today, that source of hope can be you.

This holiday season, I urge you to open your hearts and contribute to CERESAV. Even a modest donation can make a significant difference in acid attack survivors. lives, offering hope and comfort when it is most needed.

Will you stand with me in bringing holiday cheer to those who need it most? Please sign this petition to show your support for acid attack survivors in Uganda and encourage potential donors to lend their support. Together, we can make a real impact and ensure nobody is left out during this special time of year.

Thank you for giving hope where it is needed most.

Hanifa Nakiryowa
On behalf of CERESAV