When we walk in the salon Beryl freelances and earns a small stipend that sustains her, we find the 22 years old engrossed in straightening a client’s hair using a flat iron.
Immediately she’s done, she begins plaiting cornrows on a dummy which is for the beauty shop’s display then fixes braids for another customer. That is how Beryl’s normal day at the salon looks like, in one word, ‘busy’.
Beryl reveals that she developed interest for hairdressing when she was in elementary school. She would always admire those teachers who had their make-up done and hair well kempt. She heartily reveals that she wanted to be like them.
When she was a teenager, Beryl became adamant to shave her hair, regardless of the school rule with dreams to start plaiting. Plaited hair stirred her spirits. However, the cost of plaiting and maintaining long hair proved to be a challenge. Dejected, she had to put off her plans till an appropriate period. She could only hope.
“It angered me to realize that the cost of maintaining long hair was so high yet all I wanted was to look pretty. As years went by, I however deduced a plan to make the most from the beauty industry, I’d start learning beauty therapy then fully engage in it once I knew the basics,” she shares.
Beryl started weaving grass on their lawn, picturing the grass to be someone’s hair. Successfully weaving the grass gave her the confidence to start plaiting hair of small school going kids for free before she perfected and started charging the kids’ parents a small fee for her own pocket money.
The little money of her own thrilled her. She felt some sought of security and independence. It was then that she made up her mind, she wanted to do hairdressing professionally.
Beryl managed to complete her high school studies with the support from United Kenya Rising in school fees and school requirements through our family care Model. She plans to proceed to college where she can pursue hair dressing and beauty therapy as a full package.
Being at the salon has enabled her get a sneak peak of the profession and perhaps get to learn more on the dynamics of the career and know more about the emerging beauty trends as she awaits to formally join beauty college.
At the salon, Beryl has the platform to plait, tend to client’s hair, do pedicure, manicure and also make-up. In a nutshell, she does almost all that beauty therapy entails. She feels satisfied. The salon’s owner offers internship opportunities for students partaking beauty and hairdressing, and Beryl who’s got the skill is more of a mentor and a teacher to them.
“Interacting with these students on internship gives me the opportunity to share the practical bit of beauty and hairdressing, while they share the theoretical bit. I believe that when I eventually enroll in college to now pursue the career, I’d be more of a teacher to my counterparts,” she laughs off the statement.
Beryl’s highlight of her work is when a client leaves the salon satisfied and very confident with their look, either of a hair style or the makeup dressed.
“As a teenager, I thought I should be the one to look good, but as a young adult, I get satisfaction, when I make others look good. I can’t wait to complete my studies, get operational license and acquire enough funds to start my own beauty line,” she discloses as she sees us off to go back and to attend to a customer’s hair.
For her unrelenting passion, Beryl will join a pool of other beneficiaries in our TVET program and receive support in college fees among other course requirements to help her pursue a career in beauty and hairdressing.
United Kenya Rising remains dedicated in helping students like Beryl from marginalized communities acquire quality education get the necessary skills that will advance their career ambitions for self-employment and financial sustainability.
Stories like this of Beryl enables us place prominence at education as a tool for fueling development in families and collectively in communities.