By John Majau
These young women spend days in their salons making people’s hair and faces beautiful.
Throughout the week they style hair for people of all ages at Nkubu Town in Meru County and their salons are a beehive of activity throughout the week.
But it is not all work for these women as community service has been a key activity in their lives.
Apart from visiting children’s homes in Meru and neighbouring counties and hospitals, the women have played a key role in helping bright children from less privileged families.
And last Friday the women for the umpteenth time, earned praise from the business community in Nkubu town after they went to the rescue of Brian Mawira, who scored 370 marks in last year’s KCPE at Gankondi primary.
For his efforts in posting the laudable score Mawira was due to join Nkubu High School, one of the top schools in the country but could not do so for lack of fees.
But his mother, who had struggled to keep him in school, could not find the fees needed for him to report to school, forcing him to stay at home, a dejected boy.
But the 19 hairdressers who are members of South Imenti Hair Dressers Association pooled resources to raise the school fees, bought him uniform and other necessary items, and took him to school.
It was a scene to behold as the group that consists of hairdressers, hairstylists, beauticians and other related fields, accompanied the boy and his mother for his first day in high school.
Terry Kagwiria said just like the big corporates, they also are keen to serve the community.
Ms Kagwiria said because the community sustains their salon facilities, the association is keen to give something back to the society.
The group decided to ‘adopt’ a child who had done well in the KCPE but was unable to join high school.
They reached out to Jamlick Mwanontii, a presenter with the vernacular Muuga FM, who they tasked with using his reach and find them a suitable student to assist.
“God has blessed us. So we sat together and decided to help a needy child. We called Mwanontii and told him we needed to help a student from South Imenti, and requested his assistance. He used his reach and gave us this boy, Brian Mawira. We visited his primary school and his story touched us,” Kagwiria said.
The women, with assistance of Nkubu businessman Geoffrey ‘GK’ Kinoti, visited Nkubu High School to register their wish to assist Mawira join the school.
Faith Kanana, the group’s chairlady, said their outfit was formed in 2012 with the idea of enhancing their professionalism and assisting one another to grow.
“We wanted to be one another’s keeper. But assist one another as we face various challenges. As we do so we also want to give something back to the society. We discussed and said we were going to wait for children to report to high school, and assist one student who will not be able to do so,” said Kanana.
Mwanontii gave the group the names of three students who were at home and the women embarked on a mission to identify one.
Stella Mwiti, also a hairdresser, said: “We work to make our clients’ hair and other parts looking good. We are happy for Brian, because we have now adopted him as our son. We are going to be paying his fees for his entire high school time. If he does well, we are ready to walk with him to university, God willing.”
Mawira said: “I am happy now because I missed being in school. My ambition is to do Engineering.”
They paid Sh17, 677 for the first term Form One school fees.
The group contribute when a member gives birth, or is bereaved and in financial need.
They do table banking and plan to start a hair dressing school in Nkubu.
Their clients include health workers at facilities in and around Nkubu town, farmers, insurance agents, transporters
