16-Year-Old's Rehabilitation Programme Places 39 Acid Attack Survivors in Formal Employment

• PLAN Y founder Samaya Chauhan's Reappearance Protocol trains 68 survivors, achieves 80% job retention through India's first three-tier reintegration model

NEW DELHI, Dec. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Samaya Chauhan, a sixteen year old student of Amity International School designed what rehabilitation experts are calling one of India's most comprehensive reintegration systems for acid attack survivors. Her programme has now placed 39 survivors in formal employment across three states, with an 80% retention rate at six months.

The Reappearance Protocol, developed under PLAN Y's Gender Justice and Rehabilitation vertical, moves beyond traditional survivor support by addressing three interconnected challenges: preparing survivors for the workplace, holding employers accountable for safe environments, and documenting systemic gaps in state-mandated rehabilitation.

Under Chauhan's leadership, the initiative has trained 68 survivors through trauma-informed cohorts delivering over 50 hours of structured programming. The curriculum focuses on workplace rights, digital skills, financial planning, and self-advocacy; equipping survivors not just with employability but with the tools to navigate professional environments with confidence.

To ensure placements are sustainable, Chauhan's team partnered with 11 ethical employers and vetted more than 70 job roles through desk reviews, employer consultations, and survivor-centred risk screening before any placement was made.

Speaking about the milestone Samaya Chauhan, Founder, PLAN Y, said "Rehabilitation cannot end at medical recovery or compensation. Survivors need pathways back into schools, workplaces, and public life on their own terms. The Reappearance Protocol was designed to make that possible. We wanted to provide them with the access to the right kind of resources to lead their lives with dignity."

PLAN Y (Policy Leadership Advocacy Action Network for Youth) began as a response to rising mental health challenges and cyberbullying among students during the pandemic. It has since evolved into a youth-led policy advocacy network with over 350 volunteers, working across mental health, gender justice, senior citizen welfare, cybersafety, and climate action. The organisation's campaigns have mobilised over 40,000 supporters globally and reached more than 10,000 individuals through awareness programmes.

The Reappearance Protocol represents PLAN Y's shift from awareness campaigns to measurable programme implementation and demonstrating that youth-led initiatives can deliver systemic impact when designed with rigour and executed with empathy.

About PLAN Y

The Policy Leadership Advocacy Action Network for Youth (PLAN Y) is a youth-led organisation founded by Samaya Chauhan to enable young people to move beyond awareness into action—designing policies, driving advocacy, and creating tangible social impact. With over 350 volunteers and reach across 500+ schools, PLAN Y works on mental health, gender justice, cybersafety, senior citizen welfare, and climate action. The organisation has submitted policy proposals to government ministries and mobilised over 40,000 supporters through its campaigns. Website: https://plany.ngo

About Samaya Chauhan

Samaya Chauhan is a 16-year-old student at Amity International School and also a policy advocate, social entrepreneur, and the founder of PLAN Y. She has been recognized with the BW Businessworld Gen Z & Gen Alpha Changemakers Award (2025), the Humanitarian Excellence Award (2025), and the Big Impact Award for Mental Well-being (2024). A trained Kuchipudi dancer, she has led art and dance therapy workshops for trauma survivors. Samaya serves as President of the TEDx Club at her school and has interned with Google. Website: Samaya Chauhan

For more information about Amity International School, please visit https://amityschools.in/

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