HAIR AID INC.
I suddenly register that these terraces are made of rubbish! Millions and millions of plastic bags and other plastics and this was creating the mountains! This realisation and the smell hit me at the same time, and I am so confronted that I don’t have words.
We drive into the centre of Denpasar dump, where the community centre has been set up. This centre is used to look after children while their parents work in the rubbish dump; sorting trash, recycling clothing, eeking out a living.
The centre consists is a small and basic structure of one room with a partition. The gates of the centre are opened for the day and the children run in happy and excited, smiling and playing like normal children.
You would never guess that these children sleep and live in the slums with walls made of cardboard and each room having up to six family members sleeping on one mattress. There is only one shower for up to forty families. That’s one shower for 240 people!
After a week with the program our trainees have been taken through all basic haircuts, education on how to charge for services and been provided with donated equipment for them to use. I know that on our return these ‘hairdressers’ will have set up business and be able to provide for their families.
This is why Hair Aid exists, this is why I joined the project, this is why we are together #changingtheworldonehaircutatatime””The team and the experience from this trip have changed my life for ever”
Judith McEwen
What inspired you to take this journey?
Becoming a Mother 3 years ago has made me realise how blessed I am and I wanted to help others.
You empowered people and provided education to people from Indonesia, were the any challenges you had to overcome?
The major challenge was to pack the training program into 5 days.
What was the most difficult part of the experience?
The most difficult thing was being confronted with the living conditions and the poverty when we have so much.
What was the most rewarding aspect of your experience?
The speed and talent of the students and the gratitude that I was shown.
What did you learn from your journey?
That technology and possessions are not the most important thing in life. The sense of community was amazing.
I realised that the world can be changed one hair cut at a time.
Do you have any last words for people that may want to partake in a similar experience?
DO IT! You become part of the Hair Aid family and make friends for life.
To be apart of the initiative Jude was in: http://hairaid.org.au/