A FREE basic hairdressing course has been launched to help women from the lower income group start mobile salons.
The programme organised by non-governmental organisation (NGO) Community Urban Care (CUC) hopes to give women an economic lifeline.
The inaugural course at Wisma Unikeb in Bangi, Selangor, was attended by 12 participants shortlisted from 43 applicants.
Priority was given to single mothers and housewives aged 18 to 45.
CUC, which focuses on urban economic development, welfare and community empowerment, coordinated the event alongside the All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM), a body dedicated to addressing local needs through the lens of sustainable development goals.
The course involves 12 two-hour training sessions over four months, covering rebonding, colouring, cutting and scalp treatment.
The participants are also provided kits consisting of tools like brushes, scissors, dryer and portable hair-washing basin, which will enable them to start their enterprise immediately upon graduation.
CUC chairman Khidir Jamil, 40, said the programme was in response to challenges faced by those eager to venture into the beauty industry, seeing as demand for hair and beauty services was growing.
“Opening a conventional beauty salon involves substantial startup costs and operating expenses.
“The mobile salon concept allows participants to offer their services at customers’ homes.
“It removes the need for a physical salon, significantly lowering costs and enabling the women to work with greater flexibility.
“It is suited to women who need to balance paid work with domestic and caregiving responsibilities,” Khidir said.
A RM40,000 grant from APPGM is helping pay for the two instructors, course materials and hairdressing kits.
“The original intake was 10 people but we decided to increase it to 12.
“We are going to open another three slots for this programme,” he said.
Khidir estimates that the business model could generate a minimum monthly income of RM2,000.
After completion of the course, the participants will also be monitored for six months.
“They will be given a helping hand to establish their mobile operations and customer base.
“We will also look into their progress and provide mentoring sessions.”
The first training session was headed by Nurkhuzairah Bederul Hisham, 39, or popularly known as Coach Kuza.
In sharing her 10 years of experience as a mobile salon operator, the single mother revealed that the income had helped her support her child.
“I started at the bottom. In fact, I did not have a background in the beauty industry as I was an engineering student.
“However, a chance encounter with a relative who was doing a hairdressing course led me down this path,” she said, adding that she made RM18,000 during Ramadan this year.
“Of course it was backbreaking, but when you love what you do, it doesn’t matter,” Nurkhuzairah said.
