AAWC

AAWC introduces Beautician Training Program for Umeed Women

1st August, 2015

March 2015 was an exciting month at AAWC as we saw the commencement of our pilot project of the Beautician Training Program for the Umeed women. The beautician training program aims to train women in brothel-based prostitution to learn and develop fine skills to work in a beauty parlor. The program is supported by Vinod and Saryu Doshi Foundation, who have been actively involved with us in the project. 21 women registered for the course. As the program progressed, women began to be actively involved and engaged in learning various skills. The resource person conducted classes in two batches, thrice a week and taught the women skills such as threading, hair styling, hair cutting, waxing, manicure, pedicure, facial, clean-up, etc. By mid-June, 16 women had successfully graduated the program. However, that was not all!

The women are now being trained to develop their soft skills such as engaging with the customers and understanding the beauty industry. They are also given advanced training in hair, spa and beauty, in association with Nalini and Yasmin. Further, exposure visits to Godrej’s Salon-I and Nalini and Yasmin were also conducted to help them understand how a professional office set up works.

Moreover, looking at the success of the first batch, the word spread in the community and with rigorous outreach by the AAWC staff, a second batch was initiated during mid-June. We plan to have two more batches over the course of the year and empower more women in the red light district.

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About Apne Aap Women’s Collective
Founded in 1998, Apne Aap Women’s Collective (AAWC) is an anti-trafficking organisation that serves the women and children of Kamathipura, the red light area of Mumbai that is also one of the largest and oldest red light areas in Asia. By providing our members with the tools and resources to create a better quality of life, we seek to empower women who have been trafficked into brothel-based prostitution and to prevent the cycle of intergenerational prostitution among their daughters. Since 1998, we have served more than 2,800 women and children. Our alumni have earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and entered respected professions like accounting, hospitality management, luxury cuisine, nursing, photography, retail, social work, and teaching. Learn more at www.aawc.in.

Media: media@aawc.in