Hearing impaired young women hone beauty skills |09 October 2015

Eight young women with hearing impairment are receiving training on manicure and pedicure at La Jeunesse Nail and Beauty Salon in OJ Mall.

The young women are aged between 16 and 40 years old and a few of them had the opportunity to take part in a first training on back massage given two years ago by the same salon.

During the first training there were only four of them.

The owner of the salon, Beryl Scharpf who is also training the girls, said this progressive training which started on September 25 is expected to go for two more weeks depending on how fast they are able to master the skills as classes are not conducted every day.

“This shows what the association of people with hearing impairment has been trying to do for them, helping them find their own identity, and be their own person. For these girls this is the limelight of their lives, as they are able to do something from which they get special recognition from the people they would serve, and hopefully this training will give them more confidence,” Mrs Scharpf said.

Anita Gardner, the chairperson of the association of people with hearing impairment (Aphi), is also the sign language and interpreter for the girls as they follow the training.

“Even though they are at a disadvantage compared to someone who can hear normally and just because they are different does not mean they are stupid,” she said.

She said the association comes up with empowerment projects as most of the people with hearing impairment are at home doing nothing so they try to engage them in training projects which they are interested in doing.

Through her interpreter, Shirley Alcindor, 39, said she is already doing hairdressing and this training is a boost for her. 

“If my customers want me to set their hair as they are to attend a wedding or a party, I can also ask them if they want to get a manicure and pedicure,” she said.

Heather Arnaud who generates a small income from giving back massages said: “I am adding another element to my ability as I follow the first training. So now I can give back massages and I’m broadening my knowledge and boosting my ability with these new skills,” she pointed out.

At the end of the training they will receive certificates of achievement from Mrs Scharpf.

R. Hortere