adminBrenda Phiri Lifestyle Reporter
Last month, information was released by the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency on how local women spent US$13 million within a year and a half on hair extensions and hair care products.
The revelation might have sparked more controversy as the politics of black women’s hair continue to be a thorny issue.
Natural Afro, dreadlocks, human hair extensions, synthetic weaves or braids- go bald if that’s what you fancy as it is a universal human right for a person to do as you please with your hair, let alone your hard earned money.
Untangling the hair issue requires one to tread carefully but the statistics expose the extent at which women are willing to invest on hair.
For many, a perfect month begins and ends with a trip at the hair salon, that is a given.
Cosmetology indeed becomes a lucrative business especially in urban areas.
A research by Kuda Mupawose-Manyepxa, a business developer from Harare Afro and Sleek Hair Show (Hash) has shown that Harare Central Business District alone has over 6 000 hairdressers.
That is quite an army we have in beauty salons scattered in the city centre and what is shocking is how the majority are either unqualified or half backed products from backstreet institutions.
“These 6 000 hair dressers in the CBD are creative people living off hair. How they are showcasing talent is commendable but it is disheartening how a greater number them lack adequate training. That is a danger not only to themselves but the clients and environment,” said the hairdresser who is a qualified pharmacist and a United States trained cosmetologist.
With 20 years in the trade, the business developer is aiming to transfer her skills into the industry that she said has fed her.
She highlighted some of the shocking effects that local women have been taking lightly over the years. These include hair loss especially on the hair line and thinning
“Most people are doing hair simply because they can braid and they obtain the rest of the knowledge on the job. We even have opportunists that are running colleges and teaching the entire three-year course in just three months. The ripple effect is that they are unleashing into the market people that are not properly trained,” she said.
Hair dressers are constantly using chemicals despite not being science oriented. Because of this, they are not well versed with their properties.
Mupawose-Manyepxa said at times leaflets are not enough to give adequate knowledge for handling hazardous chemicals that can damage hair.
The Zash organisation is therefore working towards tackling these issues through continuous educational workshops and programmes for all hairdressers.
The first event is scheduled for the Harare International Conference Centre on November 15 in the initiative that is working to formalise the sector.
“Zash is looking to getting the informal hair sector to be recognised and develop skills and professionalism.
“It is about teaching the hair dresser how to operate professionally on both the technical and business element of the industry,” said Mupawose-Manyepxa.
She added that the lack of proper training was also affecting the development of their businesses even though they were liquid. They get money on a daily basis but
are unable to manage their cash flows.
South African music icon Lira will be part of the event that will be officiated by prominent philanthropist and business woman Grace Amey-obeng.
The Ghanaian businesswoman will be a fitting guest as she has built an empire from the cosmetics and hair dressing industry in her country.
Online Reporter