An energetic hairdresser

Bui Van Long’s hairdressing shop looks clean and spacious with full facilities. The owner walking with a crutch seems to never have a day free from work. He has a good number of regular clients.

Long was diagnosed with a serious bone disease five years ago. He had spent almost all savings on treatment in vain as his left foot was weakening and shrinking. His health was also getting worse, preventing him from doing any kind of hard work.

He faced the risk of living a dependent, disabled life, forcing his wife to become the bread-winner.

“My wife didn’t have a stable job while I wasn’t able to earn even one coin per day. She had to leave the family behind, moving to the south to find a job,” recalls Long.

He faced the risk of living a dependent, disabled life.

Fortunately, while Long was in the hopeless plight, World Vision in Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province opened a vocational training course for school drop-outs and people with disabilities. Long was selected to join a course of hairdressing.

After three months, Long graduated. He got back to his hometown and opened a small hairdressing shop with a set of equipment provided by World Vision.

“At the beginning, only few clients came to my shop because they didn’t believe in my capability. Gradually, I had more clients,” says Long with his eyes sparkling. “I now have money to invest in new equipment and hair care products and improve my skills.”

“Sometimes I worked from dawn to dust. Especially during the Tet holiday, my clients called me to make an appointment even 4-5 days ahead. I had to work hard but I was very happy,” adds Long.

Our conversation was interrupted when a client entered the shop.

"We came here with an aim of helping a person with disability. We didn’t think we would come back, but then Long’s skill and attitude of serving satisfied me. Now I’ve become his regular client.”

As he worked on a careful haircut, he continued his life story, Long says, “With the monthly income of around VND 5 – 6 million VND (USD $250–300], I can now afford better education for my kid. I will learn more to improve my hairdressing skills, so that I will be able to maintain and enlarge my shop.”

Joining our conversation, the client says, “When Long first opened his shop, we came here with an aim of helping a person with disability. We didn’t think we would come back here again, but then Long’s skill and attitude of serving satisfied me. Now I’ve become his regular client.”

“My daughter just got into grade one at primary school. My plan is to encourage my wife to learn women's hairdressing after she finishes her work contract in Ho Chi Minh city,” says Long. “That way, we can stay and work together in our hometown. She will have more time to take care of our child too.”

Vietnamese text and photos: Hoang Thi Tham, teacher of the Dien Quang 1 primary school, Ba Thuoc district, Thanh Hoa province

English text: Tran My Hang, Media Relations Officer, WVV