What Chhanv Foundation does

Chhanv Foundation is an India-registered non-profit organisation founded in 2013-2014 that provides comprehensive rehabilitation services for acid attack survivors, including medical assistance, legal advocacy, education support, psychological counselling, and sustainable employment. The organisation grew out of the Stop Acid Attacks campaign initiated in 2013 and was formally registered as Chhanv Foundation in 2014; its headquarters are in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, with operational sites in Agra, Lucknow, and Noida. Its core programmes are delivered through three Sheroes Hangout cafés run entirely by survivors, the Sheroes Store e-commerce platform selling survivor-made handicrafts, the Sheroes TV digital content platform, and the SAMBHAV education project, supplemented by awareness campaigns (Stop Acid Attacks, 2 Minutes Awareness, Smile Goal Hai, Jago Chunav Hai, Turning Scars into Love Stories).

The foundation has no proprietary technology platform; it relies on standard payment infrastructure (Kotak Mahindra Bank account, PayU, UPI QR, Milaap) and social media channels for distribution and fundraising. Its technology footprint is limited to a Wix-hosted website, a Sheroes Hangout mobile application referenced in its terms of service, and social platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X) that collectively reach 700,000+ followers across 45 nations and a volunteer network in 30 Indian cities.

Revenue is generated through a combination of individual donations, tiered monthly membership plans (₹100 to ₹10,000), café sales under a pay-as-you-wish model, e-commerce sales via Sheroes Store, and corporate CSR grants from partners such as Aadhar Housing Finance, Amba Dalmia Foundation Trust, Music Factory, Canixa, and Stratus Global. The foundation has been recognised with the Nari Shakti Puruskaar 2016, the Deutsche Welle Bobs Award for Best of Online Activism, CNN-IBN Indian of the Year 2013, and the National Commission for Women Outstanding Women Award 2014, and has been featured by BBC, CNN-IBN, NDTV, Al-Jazeera, and in Bollywood films. Leadership consists of Founder and Counselling Director Alok Dixit and Executive Director Ashish Shukla.

Name

Chhanv Foundation

Legal name

Chhanv Foundation

Website

https://chhanv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chhanv Foundation is an India-based non-profit founded in 2013-2014 that rehabilitates acid attack survivors through medical, legal, educational, and employment programmes, operating Sheroes Hangout cafés in Agra, Lucknow and Noida alongside the Sheroes Store e-commerce platform, Sheroes TV, and the SAMBHAV education project.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Rehabilitation Services

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Protection, Child Protection & Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Response (BPAGAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH)

Keywords

• Acid attack rehabilitation
• Survivor support services
• Vocational training programs
• Social advocacy campaigns
• Non-profit rehabilitation services

Headquarters

HQ city

Noida

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations & Crowdfunding: Individual donations through secure online and offline channels, including Kotak Mahindra Bank account, PayU, and UPI QR payments. Donations are 80(G) tax deductible.
2. Membership Plans: Monthly membership plans ranging from ₹100 to ₹10,000, including Friend of Sheroes, Covid Care, Educating Sheroes, Covid Necessities, Fellowship, and Survival Support tiers.
3. Sheroes Hangout Cafe Operations: Revenue from café operations in Agra and Lucknow providing employment to acid attack survivors, with pay-as-you-wish concept and no specific educational qualification requirement.
4. Sheroes Store E-commerce: Online shopping platform selling handcrafted items by survivors including embroidered bags, pouches, bookmarks, Lippan art, baked goods. Products support sustainable livelihoods.
5. CSR Partnerships: Corporate Social Responsibility funding from companies like Amba Dalmia Foundation Trust, Aadhar Housing Finance, Stratus Global, Canixa for survivor rehabilitation programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Chhanv Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rehabilitation of acid attack survivors in India, providing comprehensive services including medical assistance, legal aid, education support, and sustainable employment through Sheroes Hangout cafés, Sheroes Store e-commerce, Sheroes TV digital content, and the SAMBHAV education project. Its core commercial and programmatic engines are the pay-what-you-wish cafés and the awareness/advocacy work of the Stop Acid Attacks campaign.

Product overview

Chhanv Foundation operates a multi-pronged product portfolio centered on rehabilitation and empowerment of acid attack survivors in India. The core offerings include: Stop Acid Attacks Campaign (awareness/advocacy), Sheroes Hangout Café (employment platform with three branches in Agra, Lucknow, and Noida), Sheroes Store (e-commerce for survivor-made handcrafts), and Sheroes TV (video content). Supporting programs include the SAMBHAV Education Project, various awareness campaigns (2 Minutes Awareness, Smile Goal Hai, Jago Chunav Hai), membership plans for supporter engagement, and a donation portal. The organization also partners with corporations for CSR-funded vocational training programs. All offerings are interconnected: campaigns drive awareness, cafés provide employment, the store generates revenue from craft sales, education builds skills, and donations/funding sustain operations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sheroes Hangout: Café/restaurant venture run entirely by acid attack survivors, providing employment and rehabilitation. Located in Agra, Lucknow, and Noida.
• Sheroes Store
• SAMBHAV

Products and services

• Sheroes Hangout Café Pay-what-you-wish café chain operated by acid attack survivors across three locations in India (Agra, Lucknow, Noida). Provides direct sustainable employment to survivors without educational qualification requirements and serves as a public awareness touchpoint where customers interact with survivors to reduce social stigma.
• Sheroes Store Online e-commerce platform selling handcrafted products made by acid attack survivors, providing them with economic independence and direct-to-consumer sales channel for survivor-produced goods.
• Sheroes TV Digital video content platform covering survivor stories, foundation programmes, and advocacy content related to acid attack survivor rehabilitation and Stop Acid Attacks campaign.
• SAMBHAV Education Project Education programme supporting the educational needs and development of acid attack survivors as part of Chhanv Foundation's comprehensive rehabilitation model.
• Membership Plans Tiered recurring monthly membership subscription for supporters, with monthly contribution levels ranging from ₹100 (Friends of Sheroes) to ₹10,000 (Sheroes Changemaker), providing predictable funding for survivor rehabilitation programmes.
• Donation Portal Online donation and fundraising portal powered by PayU and Milaap integrations that accepts one-time and recurring contributions from individual donors and corporate CSR partners.
• 2 Minutes Awareness Campaign Structured two-minute awareness sessions delivered in schools and colleges by Chhanv Foundation to educate students and youth about acid attacks, survivor rehabilitation, and prevention, accompanied by signed participation certificates.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100+ survivors rehabilitated in medical, compensation, legal and employment assistance
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adobe IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 October 2024Symphony of Service events collaboration with Music Factory. Events on October 14 and November 7, 2024 bringing together survivors and Adobe employees through music, creativity, and conversation celebrating resilience and inclusion.
• Aadhar Housing Finance Ltd (AHFL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2023Aadhar Kishori Kalyan Project for skill-based vocational training of survivors. FY 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 project providing soft skills (Computer, Language, Personality Development) and hard skills (Bakery, Handicrafts). Created work opportunities for 56 survivors in Noida, Agra, Lucknow, and Kolkata.
• Amba Dalmia Foundation Trust (ADFT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Integrated Psychosocial Support & Livelihood Empowerment project providing psychological counselling (Project Saahas), physiotherapy & occupational therapy, cognitive & brain training modules, skill development & vocational pathways, and community engagement. Equipment provided by ADFT with implementation costs shared equally.
• Blossom Kochhar College of Creative Arts & Design (BKCCAD)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2022Skill Development Program for survivors as Assistant Beauty Therapist. Training program with hostel facility; convocation ceremony March 31, 2023. Part of government Skill India (Kaushal Bharat) initiative in collaboration with Natural's Salons.
• Natural's Salons IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 August 2022Groom India Salon and Spa Pvt Ltd partnership for beauty therapy training. Launched Skill Development Program with Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on August 8, 2022.
• Music FactorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership since 2022 supporting through awareness and donation drives, music training, and sensitisation initiatives. Organized year-long Sheroes Donation Drive (June 2023-May 2024) raising ₹3,63,000. Events include Diwali Mela 2023, Independence Day Celebrations, Symphony of Service with Adobe India, and ongoing music training sessions for survivors.
• PhysioKarmaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Initial physiotherapy assessments conducted for survivors, with equipment requirements identified and provided by Amba Dalmia Foundation Trust.
• Miss Universe Great Britain (MUGB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Ongoing partnership since 2017 with annual visits to Sheroes Hangout Cafe. Jessica Page, MUGB 2023, and Christina Chalk, MUGB 2024, joined celebrations. Seventh consecutive year celebration in 2023. MUGB team provides personality development support and personalized connections in rehabilitation efforts.
• UN Women, IcelandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Women Empowerment Week/Elaan Event collaboration. Week-long engagement program for acid attack survivors and volunteers concluded with media conference delivering message about acid attack cases in India.
• Supreme Court of IndiacoreOthers · 1 January 2013Court orders on acid sale under Poisons Act; Laxmi vs Union of India guidelines; IPC Act 326(A) & 326(B) for acid attack cases; UP Victim Compensation Scheme

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ActionAid India: Large Indian NGO addressing women's rights and gender-based violence; broader portfolio but with overlapping advocacy and survivor-support mandate.
• CREA (Creating Resources for Empowerment and Action): International organization focused on gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive rights; comparable in advocacy and rights-based work targeting violence against women.
• SEWA (Self Employed Women's Association): Large Indian organization promoting women's economic empowerment and livelihoods; broader in scope but operates in the same space of providing sustainable income to marginalized women.

Others

• Special Olympics Bharat: Indian non-profit providing empowerment programs (sports, livelihood) for persons with intellectual disabilities; comparable rehabilitation-plus-employment model in the Indian non-profit landscape.
• National Commission for Women (India): Statutory body investigating complaints related to women's rights including acid attacks; partner/regulator rather than competitor, but deeply connected to the same policy space.

Direct peers

• Make Love Not Scars: India-based NGO working on rehabilitation and empowerment of acid attack survivors; the closest direct peer with overlapping mission, beneficiary base, and advocacy focus.
• Acid Survivors Foundation India: India-focused organization supporting survivors of acid and burn violence with medical, legal, and livelihood assistance; directly comparable beneficiary base and program mix.
• Atijeevan Foundation: Indian social enterprise providing skilling and employment to acid attack survivors; competes with Chhanv in the survivor-employment and livelihood space.

Regional players

• Aks Foundation: India-focused foundation working on acid attack survivor support and rehabilitation with similar survivor-centered programming.

Emerging players

• Sheroes (Stop Acid Attacks sister network): Movement-based initiatives in the same survivor-advocacy space; closely aligned cause-driven community networks focused on acid attack survivor support in India.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StopAcidAttacks
• Facebookfacebook.com/Chhanv.Org
• Instagraminstagram.com/stopacidattacks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stopacidattacks

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chhanv Foundation