Once a stay-at-home mother with no income, Buayxam Abdureyim now leads a thriving salon business in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, helping dozens of women follow in her footsteps.
Abdureyim, a native of Qianjin Village in Naiderbagh Town, Kashgar City, transformed her life in 2017 by joining a free beauty and hairdressing training program.
"In January 2018, I opened the first hair salon in our village, which was just 15 square meters. However, one year later, it was bustling with customers from both my village and nearby areas. So, I opened a new space. Now, I can earn about 10,000 yuan (around 1,400 U.S. dollars) a month. Over the past six years, I've trained more than 20 apprentices, with ten of them successfully starting their own businesses. Now, I still have eight apprentices. They all learn for free, and I even provide them with living expenses," she said.
As her business flourished, her vision grew even bigger. Abdureyim aims to train more apprentices and introduce more services to customers.
"Over the past six years, I've trained more than 20 apprentices, with ten of them successfully starting their own businesses. Now, I still have eight apprentices. They all learn for free, and I even provide them with living expenses," she said.
She has now become a leader in guiding local villagers toward prosperity.
"I didn't know how to do any of this before coming here. Now I've learned so much. It's really great," said one of the apprentices.
"I've been here for three years and I want to open my own store," said another apprentice.
Beyond her business achievements, Abdureyim has witnessed significant improvements in the lives of local villagers.
"Our village has changed a lot. People are enjoying better lives, and we girls have learned to love ourselves and appreciate our beauty. The homes of many villagers have become very beautiful after redecoration. I hope my business and my life continue to improve, and I wish for Xinjiang to thrive as well," she said.
Xinjiang businesswoman turns salon success into training hub for rural entrepreneurs
Xinjiang businesswoman turns salon success into training hub for rural entrepreneurs
