Young trainees hopeful of beauty business in the North
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Looking forward to a brighter future: Some of the trainees at the exhibition
After months of extensive training on hair dressing and makeup art by an expert, 14 trainees throughout the North are determined and hopeful to go back to their villages to make a living in the future.
For the past two months these students from five districts in the North were given hands-on experience by an expert who arrived from Canada on beauty therapy, hair styling, and bridal dressing, make up, bouquet-making and facials .
As their course ended on Wednesday, March 23, they showcased their own designed work at a public exhibition at Selva Mahal hall in Jaffna on March 30.
Logi Mariathasan, a professional designer and make-up artist came all the way from Canada to help these young people from former war torn areas to make a living on their own.
“I have been here for the past two months for this fulltime programme. The students are really enthusiastic about learning the art. Some of them told me that they are planning to start beauty parlours in their homes following the training here,” Ms Mariathasan told the Sunday Times during a class she was conducting for her students in Jaffna last week.
A Sri Lankan who migrated to Canada, she noted how the Tamil culture has evolved, widening its views on beauty and accepting social norms of other communities. For the last five years the cultural scene has changed, she notes with more inclined to use make-up.
Kajanthini Vikneswaran is one of her bright students who resettled in Vaddakkachchi, Kilinochchi recently. She finished her Advanced Level studies last year and is looking for a job to support her family of seven.
Logi Mariathasan with her students
“Since my family depends on farming, I am planning to start a beauty salon in my home to meet the demand in our villages after completing this course. I learned a lot of things here including designing and I feel if I do things better than others, I could develop the salon into a big one,” she said.
Students from Kilinochchi, Mannar, Jaffna and Mullaitivu were selected after a careful study of their background and recommendations from civil society organisations. The two month training course was held in Jaffna with boarding facilities provided for students and allowances for their expenses.
The students said they believe they can earn at least Rs. 100,000 a month if opportunities come their way. Rs. 500 is charged for make-up and if hairdressing is also required, the charges could amount to Rs. 3,000.
Unlike those days Muslims use make-up for special occasions creating a growing market among her own community, says Rajun Fathima Husna, a student from Sonakar street, in Jaffna. “ That’s why I joined this class. Muslims use more makeup than anybody else, these days” she quipped.
(Text and pix by N.Lohathayalan)