By Maslah Mumin | BORESHA Project
Sitting among her brushes, scissors, combs, hair coloring products, hair steamer and henna, Ayan is surrounded by the evidence of her well-earned success no matter how small. Among all the products in her shop one would not be able to differentiate it from any other hair and beauty salon in Gedo Region of Somalia. Dollow is a town in the Southern Gedo region of Somalia, it sits on the Jubba river near the Somali Region of Ethiopia. It is among the least developed regions in Somalia with limited access to infrastructure and other services. There are therefore limited opportunities for the young people who make the majority of the population in town. The BORESHA project is trying to mitigate this and has therefore introduced several interventions one of them being the Technical and Vocational Education and Training. Ayan enrolled in the beauty and hair salon training a few months ago and the results have been worth telling.
Ayan is a strong willed brave young mother of one child with jutting cheekbones and a schoolgirl’s laugh. She recently finished the hair and beauty training course at Prestige Technical College. Before the training Ayan used to help her mother run a local restaurant in Dollow. Ambitious from a young age, she used to go to school and at the same time help raise her small siblings. Unfortunately, her schooling was put on hold due to many competing priorities and with the arrival of her first and only child it became even more difficult to juggle the two, she has however not given up on schooling. She has instead focused her mind and energy on studying and practicing beauty techniques.
Opening the Hair and Beauty Salon
When word spread in Dollow about a hair and beauty training course, she jumped at the opportunity. She already had the passion for this and the training increased her skills on hair care, henna drawing and hair coloring. She recently finished the training and being an ambitious lady her entrepreneurial mindset kicked and noticed that there was a gap in the local market for a new beauty salon in the area, she had already done her assessment and market research and set upon opening a beauty salon that offers both hair and beauty but also henna drawing. “At the start it was not easy especially when it comes to attracting customers, however I decided to call a few of my friends and relatives and styled them for free, very soon word spread around that there is a new beautician in town, from there I have received quite a number if request” says Ayan.
BORESHA Support
Using small space behind her mother’s restaurant where she has set up her shop, BORESHA supported her with all the necessary equipment including: Combs and brushes, hood dryer, hair cutting shears, hair straighteners, blow dryers, aprons, water sprayers, shampoo bowls, plastic gloves, hair curlers, hot rollers, henna among others. I have already been invited to a few weddings now, I also do house calls apart from the walk in clients, word has spread around not only in Dollow but also in the cross border towns of Mandera and Dolo Ado in Kenya and Ethiopia respectively” Ayan said. She proudly handed us her phone and showed us several photos of her work especially the henna designs which were quite spectacular.
‘’Ayan when are you coming to my house to draw henna on to my arms, feet and hands, I am getting married soon? A middle aged woman walked in to the shop and asked. “But I thought you are already married” Ayan replied. “My husband and I want to feel young again, we want to do another wedding” the customer responded. That interaction alone had us all in laughter and it went to show the trust people have bestowed upon her simply because they have come to appreciate her work and personality. On a good month she makes around 50 USD after deducting the operational cost. She has gained the confidence of her customers and they share a close bond since she goes to their homes, “Somali women do not like to come to salons, they are Muslims and therefore do not like to take off their hijab in public, I therefore go to their houses or they come to my house, whichever option is convenient for them” said Ayan.
Pass it forward
She uses the small income from her shop to support her small child and also make a few savings in case of a rainy day, the rest she invests in her business. Her mother, who has given her the space behind her restaurant free of charge is very proud of her daughter and her achievements in such a short space of time. Ayan hopes to expand her business in to the neighboring towns and grown her brand beyond the Somalia border as well as gain more skills. There is no stopping Ayan, from here on it is only onwards and upwards for her. “I have put my time, energy and money in to this business, there is no way I am going backwards now, I know there will be challenges ahead but I have overcome bigger ones, this far I have come I am grateful to Allah” said Ayan.
Ayan’s achievements and salon is model not only for improving livelihoods ,it also gives confidence and hope to young girls in the area that they can make something of themselves, all they require and ask from us is an opportunity.
Quick Facts
- The Hair and Beauty course took 3 months and had enrolled more than 100 students.
- BORESHA TVET Course also include: Mechanic, hair and beauty, Carpentry, Mobile repair and Tie and dye
- 50 TVETs graduated from Prestige Technical college and Sayid Mohamed Technical Collage in Dollow and Belet-hawa respectively
- All the TVET Graduates have been provided with startup kits and business skills training on how to operate a business, balance books and other administrative aspects.