Sonia worked as secretary for 7 years until she closed the business closed. This forced her to look for another opportunity and she decided to give cosmetology a try. Sonia started learning about cosmetology through a vocational training course. She then started working in a salon and stayed there for 12 years. She began her day at 7 am, had no fixed end time, and only received $ 190 a month, less than the minimum wage. It was a very demanding work environment.
This rigid schedule and little pay prompted her to start her own beauty salon. She rents a space in San Ramon and over the years has gained more and more customers. There are bad days and good days, especially because Sonia’s business has been affected by the violence that is ramped in El Salvador. Every time a crime happens or there is a shooting near her salon, customers stop coming. Some customers have even asked that she relocate her salon to another area. Sonia has considered this but the rental prices in other areas are very high.
In these first months in the Women’s Empowerment Project, Sonia has realized that her business can grow whereas before she did not think so. Now she has a vision of what she wants: have more customers and then move to a bigger location in a safe area …And she knows she must work for it.
Sonia’s new ideas and ways of thinking have come to light during the WEP workshops, which motivate us to continue working and supporting the participants so that they can achieve their personal and professional goals. You can be a part of this too! Click here to sponsor Sonia or another entrepreneurial woman