Our livelihood programme Hairdressing Sisters was designed to further economic and employment opportunities for displaced women. After conducting a needs and skills assessment, female respondents requested training in hairdressing as there were no women-only salons in the camps and they are unable to travel to nearby cities due to lack of transportation and financial resources.
In partnership with Gareth Smith, a London-based freelance hair stylist with 20 years in the industry, we trained women to become hairdressers in each of our centres, with the aim that they would then be able to earn an income based on their skills. The space, equipment, and training were all provided, enabling them to learn everything they needed to know about hairdressing. After graduating from the course, they became able to offer their services to their community and seek financial independence and security.