Teaching hairdressing skills in the village

South Burnett hairdresser says trip will be an ‘eye-opener’ as she travels overseas to teach.

LIFE SKILLS: Nanango's Hairdo4U owner Ebony Smith will be teaching basic hairdressing skills to people in Manila. (Photo: Jessica McGrath)

UNDER a leaf-thatched roof and sitting on a dirt floor as the heat swelters in the village is not the ideal location for a haircut.

However, Nanango hairdresser Ebony Smith said this would be just part of her adventure in the Philippines next year.

The owner of Hairdo4U will be joining the Hair Aid team to teach hairdressing basics to villagers in Manila during January 2020.

“It’s going to be a full experience, but that’s how they survive,” she said.

“It’ll be a real eye-opener to see how they live, the conditions they work in and it will show how lucky we are.”

Nanango's Hairdo4U owner Ebony Smith with customer Sheridyn Andrews and is getting ready for her trip to Manila to teach hairdressing skills. (Photo: Jessica McGrath)

Miss Smith will be paired up with hairdressers from all over the world to teach a small group of students over nine days.

The students had all indicated they wanted to learn and live a better life.

“We target families who haven’t got a job,” she said.

“The idea is for them to earn their own income and take on the opportunity to learn a new skill.”

Previous Hair Aid attendees had gone on to run their own hairdressing businesses in their village.

HELPING OTHERS: Nanango's Hairdo4U owner Ebony Smith will be teaching basic hairdressing skills to people in Manila. (Photo: Jessica McGrath)

The Nanango business owner of five years first decided she wanted to share her skills with others when she heard the Hair Aid founder speak at a business conference.

“I’m looking forward to training them and hopefully making a difference for them,” Miss Smith said.

She has been fundraising for the trip to buy the supplies needed for the hairdressing classes.

The scissors, capes, combs and other hairdressing resources will be then donated and left behind so the students have what they need to start their trade.

Hairdo4U has been running fundraisers at their Nanango store along Drayton St.

There are money boards and raffle tickets for sale, with all of the money going towards purchasing the supplies needed for the classes.

Originally published as