Author: Zoe Zaneteas

As Cornell students, we are lucky enough to live in a privileged environment in which we are shielded from many of the world’s horrors. But we are not ignorant of them. Students not only remain informed of what’s going on in the world, but actively try to create change.

Roshni Mehta ‘15 is the founder of Nine Yards, a social enterprise that works to employ female acid attack survivors in Southeast Asia in producing home decor and fashion products from donated Indian saris. I met with Mehta, an Economics and Anthropology double major and Business minor, to learn more about why these attacks happen and what we can do to become more involved.

 

 

Born and raised in Dubai, Mehta spent time living in both the Philippines and Bangladesh as well. This is where she was exposed to the issue through her nanny, a victim of an acid attack who made Mehta aware of the problems these attacks pose in today’s society.

According to Mehta, these acts are often perpetrated by strangers and occur primarily in lower socioeconomic spheres; the victims likely have no idea who their attackers are. Typically, a man will approach a woman and make advances towards her (sometimes even proposing marriage); if she refuses him, his bruised ego will prompt him to harm her physically by throwing acid on her face, often from a motorbike or moving vehicle.

Victims of these attacks tend to be women in their early twenties, and many are unable to marry or find work after suffering the experience. The acid, which is essentially widely-available toilet cleaner, eats through skin and bone. Mehta recalls meeting women who have completely lost their noses or been severely disfigured, including one who was attacked just twelve days after her marriage, forever changing the optimistic trajectory of her life.

Mehta’s creative process began her sophomore year, when she participated in the Cornell’s Red Ideas Festival and went on to become one of the top four finalists. According to their website, a ‘Red Idea’ is one that “creatively and innovatively improves the human condition.” After her success as a Red Ideas Scholar, Mehta reached out to various NGOs to see if her idea was feasible – many victims suffer blindness from their attacks and would thus have difficulty constructing Mehta’s products.

Mehta has since received the support of these organizations and been able to turn her vision into reality, with Nine Yards already employing four women and its products breaking onto the global market.

For Mehta, it is important to note that Nine Yards is not a charity, but rather a for-profit social enterprise (although she herself does not earn anything from it). She explains that, in recovering from acid attacks, women are already dependent upon the goodwill of others. Mehta wanted to create a way for these women to reassert their dignity, to earn an income and independence, and to rediscover a purpose in life.

 

 

You won’t find any images of her employees on Nine Yards’ website. Mehta believes that in order for her company to be successful, people must like the products for themselves, not because they feel that they are doing a good thing by supporting the victims who create them. Thus, Mehta has also employed students from both Pratt and Parsons to design her products, giving them not only humanitarian, but also stylistic value. Nine Yards’ products have been primarily home decor, such as cushion covers and table runners, but the company will soon be moving towards women’s fashion to target a larger audience.

 

 

When asked what she sees for Nine Yards in the future, it’s clear that Mehta put a great deal of thought into her answer. After graduating from Cornell, she plans to spend a year working for Deloitte Consulting and then return to her social enterprise. Though she has previously kept her company small (more manageable for a full-time student), big things are in the works for Nine Yards.

Mehta’s main market is in the United States due to the exotic appeal of the products to Americans. Unfortunately, it has proved difficult for her to set up a shipping channel in the country. This is where she could use your help. Because all the products are made in India, it costs almost as much to produce and ship them to the States as it does to sell them. Mehta is hoping to employ Nine Yards brand ambassadors to help distribute the products domestically.

 

 

If you’d like to find out more about Nine Yards or offer Mehta your help, don’t hesitate to visit the website or reach out to its visionary founder. Roshni Mehta is one of the very best examples of what can happen when you combine a good idea, a Cornell education, and – most importantly – passion.