After sponsoring a child in Thailand for the past three years, Sandra Carr, co-owner of Scheer Professional in Wistor, Ohio and Artistic Designer for Matrix, decided to take a Mission trip to Thailand where she taught the fundamentals of hairdressing to those working in an orphanage and a salon owner eager for education. “I just love hairdressing so much and there are so many different ways that we can use this industry to make a difference,” says Carr. “I felt like this trip made a positive difference in other people’s lives. It’s so easy because we do it every day!”

The first stops on her trip were two orphanages in Northern Thailand, where she educated the caretakers of the orphans (who normally cut the children’s hair) on product knowledge and the basics of cutting hair. Water bottles, capes, shampoo and conditioner were all donated to the project. At the orphanage, she was introduced the sister of the director of the orphanage. “She hadn’t been to formal beauty school but she loved the industry and opened a salon. She is from the Hill Tribe People (like American Indian except Thai) and they are a subculture which is discriminated against. I was able to do several models and share some of what I am blessed to know with her.”

Working in a 110 degree salon, with two small chairs, and only charging 30 cents per hair cut, Carr says the woman was eager to learn. “I spent 3 hours privately tutoring her on how to create a child’s cut and two other hair cuts—you wouldn’t believe how thankful she was.” Carr says she hopes to visit again one day and make a difference in more people’s lives with hairdressing.

For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.