Stories of #GoodChange
Empowering the Youth, One Haircut at a Time
Coming from a family of eight, Liên dropped out of school to start working in low-paying jobs and help her family cover the living expenses.
Her family’s main source of income comes from farming, however, harvesting rice is not enough to meet their day-to-day needs.
Wanting to support her family, Liên realised that she needs to continue her education and learn skills aligned with her interests such as hairdressing.
Good Barber Project
In 2022, Good Neighbours Australia established a partnership with The Good Barber Shop in Melbourne and developed a training program for young adults from our partner community in Quang Binh District, Vietnam.
The Good Barber Shop made a donation for each haircut which helped send selected disadvantaged students to a vocational hairdressing school, increasing their chances of employment and giving them opportunities to earn 3-5 times more than the average monthly income.
Liên's Journey
Through the Good Barber Project, disadvantaged youth like Liên have been given a chance to expand their skill set and maximise their potential through vocational training.
Good Neighbors Vietnam coordinated with one of the vocational training centres nearby to train Liên and other young aspiring hairdressers.
With the help of our Good Neighbours Australia’s donors, Lien and other students no longer have to worry about their tuition fee, accommodation, meals, and travel expenses during the course of their training.
As of November 2022, Liên and other students have already completed their course while a new batch of students started in December 2022. New students undergo three months of training to complete the course and will then spend a few more months in barbershops in Vietnam for hands-on work experience.
More than a vocational training
For Liên and her classmates, their experience at the hairdressing training goes beyond the skills she learned.
“[I learned] how to live in society and how to communicate with people, so we can learn and do it too,” Liên shared.
“I would like to thank Good Neighbours and sponsors for providing advantageous conditions for me to attend the vocational training course. I also would like to thank the teachers from the centre for always helping us. Since the beginning days when I departed to Hanoi City with many difficulties, they have helped us a lot,” she added.
Now, Liên has returned to her countryside and works for a hair salon near her house. Her future plan is to continue practicing her hairdressing skills to improve her craft.
Good Barber Project Report
Empowering more youth this 2023
This 2023, Good Neighbours Australia aims to empower more underprivileged youth from the Quang Binh District and continue the Good Barber Project.
Through your support, we will be able to provide hope to more disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
- Access to education and training is everything;
- It prepares young people for life through job opportunities; and
- Helps young people escape adversities such as poverty.
