Thank you so much for reading this post. Fakhra’s death galvanized me, and in fact the world, as I watched the tweets move from country to country on Twitter, as the news centers picked it up. Doing the research I discovered the book, and saw Elena’s name, but never imagined I might have a connection with her. Now I know of Elena’s other work and would love to read it.

This month it will be 5 months since Fakhra ended her life. And sulfuric acid is probably still available to anyone for pennies on the streets of South Asia. But her story and her death did awaken people, and in time the laws will change. The day will come, we can pray, when no one would dare throw acid on another living being.

Telling stories can change people’s lives, and helping those who can’t tell their own stories (Fakhra couldn’t write) is a VERY rewarding task. Thanks again for your note Reagan. – Anora

1. Italy’s 27esimaora news blog
2. Pakistan’s Dawn epaper
3. United States of America’s Women Writers, Women Books online magazine

It is an honor to be able to connect with Elena Doni herself, after seeing her name on Fakhra Younas’ book covers week after week while following and researching Fakhra’s tragic story as it traveled around the world in the weeks after March 17. It is amazing to break through the glass window separating news from my life and get to ask and get answers about questions related to her work with Fakhra in writing Fakhra’s memoir. (The memoir is still available in Italian, and the publishers have yet to sell the rights to an English language publisher, so no English language translation on the horizon.)

And a big thank you to Hafsa Adil, for her part in editing and publishing a version of this story for Dawn.

Those of you who read Italian will be able to see and learn fascinating details that emerged only in the Italian version. And reading all three is an interesting exercise in seeing what each editor felt suitable for their readers.

Viviana Mazza made the initial connection with Elena Doni, then when Elena sent her story with followup information, Viviana translated the WWWB post into Italian, and developed it further from knowledge she had, for 27esimaora, and she made the connection with Pakistan’s Dawn. @MazzaViviana on Twitter.

Hafsa Adil edited the version for Dawn in Pakistan, and added a photo. @hafsa_adil on Twitter.

—Anora McGaha – Editor, Women Writers, Women Books