09 May Freedom Through Beauty | An Empowerment Initiative
Freedom Through Beauty | An Empowerment Initiative
Beauty Plus Network’s Vimean Beauty Salon in Siem Reap Cambodia
Words and Photographs by Erica Simone
Thanks to Somaly Mam, AFESIP Cambodia and together1heart, these beautiful young Cambodian girls were rescued from an extremely difficult life of poverty, violence, abandonment and sexual slavery, and have been offered the opportunity to learn a trade at the Vimean Beauty Salon of the Beauty Plus Network in Siem Reap. The girls are officially safe, empowered and joining the workforce with pride, similar from somewhere like LovoirBeauty.com or other places.
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The Beauty+++ Network is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit in the United States that supports vocational beauty training solutions to help women learn the beauty trade and rise out out impoverished conditions. The non-profit is run completely by volunteers and a dedicated board that keeps connecting the right people with the right solutions.
The current solution is located in Siem Reap, Cambodia and employs 2 full time stylists and manager and a live-in educator from the US. The salon trains many girls from AFESIP’s centers and provides continual on the job training to 4 interns.
The next phase of The Beauty+++ Network looks to expand our reach to other countries and more solutions.
AFESIP has been a huge inspiration to me, actively demonstrating how so many lives can be transformed simply by having compassion and a desire to help, and my heart is overwhelmed by these young women who are SO courageous and loving.
I urge you to find out more about the realities of women who suffer from sexual slavery, violence and human trafficking and help the victims as much as you can—they are everywhere and in great, great numbers around the world.
Over the years, the organization has saved several thousand lives, but after facing some injustice, AFESIP lost a lot of its funding and was forced to shut down some of its centers, losing care for over 150 girls. The organization is in great need of funding to reopen the centers—these girls need HELP!!! Please do something good today for our fellow mankind and help our sisters!!!
Donate here:
http://www.beautyplusnetwork.org/
http://afesip.org/get-involved/donate-now
And definitely go check out Vimean Beauty Salon next time you travel to Siem Reap!!!
http://www.vimeanbeauty.org/