The New Somaly Fund: Voices for Change (AFESIP Cambodia) believe that the most powerful voices for change come from empowered women who have achieved their financial independence. Through quality vocational training, emotional support and reintegration assistance, the graduates of The New Somaly Mam: Voices for Change (AFESIP Cambodia)’s centers become those voices as they demonstrate how an empowered woman can be an inspirational part of her community.
One of our graduates, Jasmine, is an incredible example of how this works. After leaving our center several years ago with beauty skills training, Jasmine set out to work in a successful local salon. Although very determined and hard working at her first job in Phnom Penh, Jasmine was discriminated against because of her background so she left to open her own small shop outside her small roadside home in Siem Reap. When Jasmine heard about The Somaly Mam Beauty+ Salon that The New Somaly Fund: Voices for Change (AFESIP Cambodia) were opening with support from The Estee Lauder Companies, she made sure she attended every training offered. She arrived early and was often the last one to leave after helping to clean up. Her incredible work ethic and talent got her noticed by the salon team and led to her being offered a job to work at the new salon full time. Now earning a stable salary and having medical benefits, Jasmine’s confidence and talents continued to grow. She became the salon’s most requested stylist and an inspiration to other young women in the program.
In December 2014, Jasmine made the bold decision to continue to grow her career and left the salon to open her own business. With many of her existing clients following her to her new location and her incredible energy to market her business, Jasmine closed her first month of operation with a profit! Even better, she employs two other young graduates of The New Somaly Fund: Voices for Change’s (AFESIP Cambodia) program who are starting their own journey.
Jasmine’s success and determination demonstrates what Voices for Change is all about. Today Jasmine is not only a successful, aspiring beauty professional, but she is an inspiration for every woman she meets. Determined that women deserve their equality and should never be exploited, Jasmine uses her voice and success to motivate others that change will lead to a better tomorrow. Jasmine’s next goal? She wants to earn enough from her salon to pay for her attendance at an international beauty school and she wants to develop one of her trainees to be strong enough to run her salon for her while she is away.
The New Somaly Fund: Voices for Change (AFESIP Cambodia) have enabled many women like Jasmine. It is the model of economic empowerment coupled with a loving network of supporters who provide opportunities, not welfare. We welcome you to join our network and support us to do more. Invest in a woman and watch your investment grow! We accept donations at http://www.newsomalyfund.org or http://www.afesip.org
