In a quiet village in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Buayxam Abdureyim has turned beauty services into a vehicle for social change. What began as a free skills training program supported by the Women's Federation of Xinjiang in 2017 has blossomed into a thriving community enterprise, proving that economic empowerment often starts with a pair of scissors and a vision.
Abdureyim, once a stay-at-home mother with limited opportunities, now operates Qianjin Village's first beauty salon while mentoring more than 20 apprentices. Her story reflects a growing trend of grassroots entrepreneurship transforming rural China's economic landscape. The initiative not only increased local women's participation in the workforce but also created a ripple effect – each trained apprentice gains the means to support their family while elevating beauty standards in their community.
"Every perm and haircut represents someone's renewed confidence," Abdureyim told KhabarAsia. Her next goal involves expanding service offerings to include modern skincare techniques, ensuring village residents can access the same beauty treatments as urban counterparts without leaving their hometowns.
