12-07-2024 | di COOPI

Ecuador. Solvay's dream: opening a beauty salon to employ more women

COOPI – Cooperazione Internazionale launched in June 2024 the first training program for grantees of scholarships aimed at strengthening technical skills in the professional beauty sector. This training is an initiative of the second phase of the project ”Integrados - Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees in Ecuador Phase 2: Ongoing support to provide protection services, job opportunities and access to decent living conditions to Venezuelan refugees and migrants” funded by the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (BPRM) and implemented in collaboration with AVSI and CAVA SCHOOL Foundation, an association dedicated to empowering people in vulnerable situations through tools and opportunities to bridge the gap in training for professionals in the beauty sector in Ecuador. This training program was designed to improve the specific technical skills of 10 former Phase 1 participants of the Integrados project, mostly Venezuelan refugees and migrants, focusing on the areas of colorimetry and hair therapy.

During the classes, participants learned about deep hair washing, hair treatments, hair styling, bleaching and coloring using various techniques.

We were taught color theory and how to create a color circle with dyes, which allowed us to experiment directly with our hands. We also had models to practice on, which was a valuable experience. Thanks to COOPI, we also received refreshments and help with transportation to attend the classes.”

says Solvay Cecilia Cáceres Morales, 35, originally from Venezuela, who has been working in the beauty industry for a few years and participated in a 5-month COOPI course and now, thanks to the new CAVA courses, has been able to deepen her knowledge in advanced techniques such as colorimetry.

I learned how to color hair well, with more advanced techniques and different designs. The attention was excellent and the care was spectacular.” 

Solvay stresses the importance of these courses for her professional and personal development:

These courses will help me not only refresh my knowledge but also acquire new knowledge. My dream is to open my own beauty salon and provide jobs for women like me, single mothers who need opportunities.” 

This joint effort is a sign of COOPI and its partners' commitment to providing development and training opportunities to the most vulnerable populations, contributing to their integration and success in the Ecuadorian labor market.

COOPI has been working in Ecuador since 1967, implementing development projects to help fight poverty and respond to emergencies, while respecting the principles of human rights, gender, interculturalism and governance. Projects have addressed areas of focus such as child protection, water, sanitation and hygiene, improved equipment and infrastructure, livelihood generation and socio-economic inclusion, governance and human rights, and socio-cultural integration.