Cincinnati clinical psychologist Dr. Angie Vredeveld, now has an army of local volunteers as she attempts to further strengthen the voice of acid attack victims in Uganda and other countries like India, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia and Bangladesh.
Last year, Vredeveld, the founder of The Center for Rehabilitation of Survivors of Acid and Burns Violence (CERESAV), helped pass a law in Uganda that seeks to stop acid attacks after the government there noticed worldwide support for it.
"I think the main lesson from my experience as Angie, one person in Cincinnati, was that I actually could do something."
She and others helped get The Toxic Chemicals Prohibition and Control Bill 2015 passed.
The petition for the bill really took off when the CERESAV petition went up on Change.org. Within 24 hours it went from 1,000 signatures to 100,000. The group says, in all of Change.org petition history, it ranked 30th in the number of signatures received, at nearly 300,000.
CERESAV is calling for a separate acid bill. This would include stricter punishments with the establishment of a prosecution timeframe, like in other criminal cases, and more stringent regulation of the purchase, transportation, and storage of acid.
There are a number of Cincinnati events scheduled. Check out CERESAV's Facebook page.
Tuesday 8/16 at The First Unitarian Church in Clifton at 6:00 (learn about the organization).
Wednesday 8/17 at The First Unitarian Church in Clifton at 6:00 (learn about legislation).
Friday 8/19 at Xavier University (a prayer team gathering).
On Wednesday, Vredevel and survivor Hanifa Nakiryowa will visit Shriner's Burn Institute and UC's Medical School to find more volunteers willing to help victims. Nakiryowa is confident the Ugandan government will pay attention with more worldwide attention.
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