News & Events - General

A hairdresser assessor at Kingston College has just returned from Myanmar where she has set up a charity project to help children.

The idea came following Mu Mu Win’s trip, last year, to her home country. She visited a village in Kawhmu Aung Zabu where the monastery school and youth centre had been devastated by Cyclone Nargis.

She explains: “We were welcomed by Sayadaw Ven  Ashin Ketu Mala (a Burmese Monk) who was looking after about 300 orphaned children in his compound. He had opened a nursery to high school for altogether about 1000 students, including children attending from nearby villages. Seeing them, talking with them, and knowing their unfortunate fate touched my heart. I wondered what I could do to help them. The idea of giving them a vocational skill – basic hairdressing skills - which may help them to stand on their own feet came to my mind. Sayadaw agreed with me and promise that he would support my project.”

On her return to the UK, Mu Mu set about raising the funds to establish the project. She began working weekends, sacrificing valuable family time, and managed to raise £3,000 through cutting clients hair. Mu Mu was also grateful to the extra contributions given from friends and clients who wanted to help her raise the money for her charity work and for the invaluable support from her family.

She returned to Myanmar during the summer and work with the students began.

A group of eight boys and 12 girls attended the five-day course and Mu Mu taught them general knowledge about hair; correct scissors and comb holding; sectioning of hair and demonstrated one length hair cut. They also had a lesson in basic men's barbering knowledge and techniques.

The money Mu Mu raised went towards construction materials to build the salon and all the equipment the students would need including chairs, mirrors, hairdryers, clips, combs, basins, towels and gowns.

The new salon officially opened in August and Mu Mu hopes it will help save money for hair cutting of the orphanage and students; contribute to the monastery for day to day running costs and that students can also use the salon for their customers.

“As I do not have any experience before to implement this sort of project I was quite nervous for the outcome results.  When my students gave respect to me, I could not control my tears with mixed feeling of being proud, that I had finally made it, happy that I can see bright future for my students and sad, that I had to leave them,” says Mu Mu.

She adds: “This achievement gave me confidence to help the less fortunate children in various parts of our country which I determined to do every year.”