Six years ago, Buayxam Abdureyim was a stay-at-home mom in Qianjin Village, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, without her own income or a clear vision for the future. Everything changed in 2017, when the Women's Federation of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region selected her for a free beauty and hairdressing training program. Armed with a pair of scissors and newfound skills, she returned to her village determined to create opportunity.
By 2018, Buayxam opened the first beauty hair salon studio in her hometown. Her goal was simple: train local women in hairdressing and beauty therapy, so they could earn stable incomes and build confidence. Today, she has mentored over 20 apprentices, turning her salon into a hub of empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Under Buayxam's guidance, trainees learn technical skills—and gain self-belief. For many women in the village, mastering beauty therapy means more than a paycheck; it’s a passport to independence and a chance to rewrite their own stories. The salon’s success has even inspired other small businesses to invest in local talent.
Buayxam’s journey shows how rural entrepreneurship and community support can spark real change. In a region where opportunities were once scarce, scissors have become tools of transformation—and every hairstyle now weaves a brighter future.
Reference(s):
Business of beauty: Villager empowers women on path to brighter future
cgtn.com
