My name is Cecilia, I am 42 years old and I come from the Central Region of Ghana. I trained and worked as a hairdresser until the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The pandemic meant that I could no longer earn money as a hairdresser, and I had to resort to being a street vendor, getting up at 4:30 a.m. every day to sell sweets, handkerchiefs and face masks.

In 2021, my life changed abruptly when I met an advisor from the Ghanaian-German Center for Jobs, Migration and Reintegration (GGC). I told her about my dream of becoming a makeup artist as a supplement to my work as a hairdresser.

At another meeting, I told her about my desire to add makeup artistry to my hairdressing job.

3 months of training for professional makeup

The advisor from GGC told me about the opportunity to take advanced training. She explained to me that the training lasts 3 months and is targeted at persons who wanted to become make-up artists. Makeup artists are people who make others up professionally and make them pretty for a public appearance, for example. I immediately signed up for the training.

Before the training, I took part in a psychosocial counselling session, which was also arranged for me by the GGC. This gave me new courage for my new beginning. GGC not only covered the cost of the training, but also gave me a monthly stipend to pay for my travel to school.

Financing the children's education

As in other fields, though, you have to be focused, determined and hardworking if you want to succeed. Through my beauty salon, I was able to help my two sons and daughter go to school. And my first-born is now studying at university.

Thanks to the support of GCC, I had the chance to turn my life around. I still have new ideas for my business. I want to open new makeup shops in new locations in the near future.

As of: 12/2022
 

This text is written in simple language to ensure that it’s easy for everyone to understand.