Each day we were there, we taught different skills to the kids; including, basic haircutting using lines, layers, graduation and fringes, blow drying, proper shampooing techniques, hair coloring skills such as root touch ups and foil, and consultations. We also broke off one-on-one to teach specific skills.
If you’re thinking about being a mentor, do it. This was something I was so passionate about, and it was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life.
The students never complained once, and they were thankful for even the smallest of things we could help them with. When they wanted something, they went after it, and I felt lucky to be teaching them, because it truly was a learning experience for us mentors too.
Many of these children came from difficult pasts, but it was amazing to see them overcoming these challenges and working towards a brighter future.
This trip left me with a different perspective. I look at the world with a new lens and have focused on what I value in life more because of it. I’m never going to
We are still connected to the kids we met in Ho Chi Minh City through a Facebook group. They send videos of themselves practicing their hairdressing skills and get to ask us questions. It is nice to see them continue to grow and learn, and that our time with them really did make a lasting impression on their lives.
Along with the kids, I also found lifetime friends in the other mentors. Together, we are all Hairdressers at Heart, and all nine of us built very tight bonds. It was a journey together, during which we made great strides as a group.
For over two decades, Wella Professionals Top Artist and Hairdresser At Heart ambassador, Alexandra Matiz has established herself as a colorist and styling expert around the globe. Few things make her nervous, but as a recent trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, through the Wella-Unicef Making Waves mentoring program approached, her nerves and excitement kicked-in.
Matiz and eight other mentors stayed in Vietnam for two weeks, where they worked with children and young adults ages 12-20 who showed an interest in pursuing a career in hair styling. “They saw this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to change their lives, and they were eager to work hard and achieve that goal,” Matiz said.
The Wella-Unicef Making Waves Program, as well as Wella’s Hairdressers at Heart Initiative, is continually striving to give the gift of education and mentorship to those in need across the globe.
"Each day we were there, we taught different skills to the kids; including, basic haircutting using lines, layers, graduation and fringes, blow drying, proper shampooing techniques, hair coloring skills such as root touch ups and foil, and consultations. We also broke off one-on-one to teach specific skills," Matiz says. "If you’re thinking about being a mentor, do it. This was something I was so passionate about, and it was the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my life."
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