There is an old proverb – “Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.” The idea is not just helping out, but rather, helping up. Several women in the area are sharing their time and talent to make a difference in the lives of women looking to make a fresh start or become more independent.
Dana Rose Robertshaw and Vanessa Anderson, two stylists who work at Pelo by Edgardo in Ridgefield, recently traveled to Guatemala – not to teach people to fish but rather to cut hair. The trip was part of Hair Aid, an Australian-based non-profit, which was established in 2013 with the mission of teaching haircutting skills to people living in impoverished countries so that they can earn money and support their families.
Robertshaw first learned of Hair Aid while attending an Intercoiffure convention (an international stylist organization). “I was immediately intrigued by the program,” says Robertshaw.
It took several years to make the dream a reality. Volunteers need to pay a flat fee which includes their accommodations, ground travel, and the cost of a translator. They must also cover the expense of their flights and all meals. Edgardo Escribano and his wife Amy, owners of Pelo by Edgardo were instrumental in making the trip happen for Robertshaw and Anderson. “Edgardo and Amy were incredibly supportive. They put together an amazing fundraiser and collected tons of donated supplies. The community rallied behind us,” says Anderson. Two other salons – Adam Broderick and Bloom also contributed to making the trip happen.
Hair Aid’s program consists of a free five-day curriculum that covers several basic cutting skills: straight cut, diagonal forward and backward, two layers, graduated cut, and men’s cuts. “I was a bit skeptical at first,” says Robertshaw. “I wondered how much they would be able to learn in just five days – I was in school for a year – but I was truly amazed at how quickly the students learned.”
Robertshaw was assigned to Pro Chapina, a shelter for women who were looking to transition from unsafe home environments. There, they are offered temporary housing and counseling and are taught a marketable skill such as sewing or haircutting. Robertshaw had 22 students, most of which had very limited schooling. “There isn’t a lot of emphasis on women’s education in Guatemala which limits their opportunities,” she says. Anderson was at a location called el Patojismo, a local school that helped provide daily skills for youth and keep them on track.
Having a translator was essential – both stylists only had a small command of Spanish. Hair Aid provided some translations of basic hair techniques, but the stylists had to try not to overcomplicate the directions to make it easier to translate. Techniques were demonstrated by the stylist, and then the students were able to practice the skills on live models. “It was convenient that my location was in a town, so we literally could just ask people walking by to come in,” says Robertshaw.
During the trip, they met with one of the leaders of Hair Aid who mentioned Shear Advantage, an organization established to further provide for the students. “It’s one thing to go in and teach it’s another thing to show them what to do next after the lessons stop,” says Anderson.
Robertshaw and Anderson already have plans to return to Guatemala, this time alongside Shear Advantage. “I am helping put together a cutting manual for them,” says Robertshaw. Shear Advantage emphasizes what is trending hairstyle-wise in the specific country, making the training that much more worthwhile. “I really want people to know about these programs. I feel like hair stylists are such giving people that perhaps more would want to get involved. I feel like I left a piece of my heart there. It truly was the most rewarding work of my life,” says Robertshaw.
For more information about haircutting volunteer opportunities, please visit https://www.hairaidusa.org/ or https://www.shearadvantage.org/. •
