A successful hair & makeup artist, Srey Neat is an inspiring role model for young people in Andong. DARA Europe has been closely involved with Srey Neat and her family for more than a decade.
With a dazzling fashion show, Srey Neat graduated from Kate Korpi Salon’s prestigious hairdressing program in 2018. In the audience around the catwalk were the apethetic family members of the young hair & makeup artist. Tirza Voss, initiator of DARA Europe, walked in the fashion show as a model.
The graduation show was an unforgettable moment, Tirza says now. “I already met Srey Neat and her family during my very first visits to Andong, Cambodia in 2009. She has worked with tremendous strength and energy to build a bright future for her family after a difficult start in life. Her success is a great source of inspiration for the children now growing up in the vulnerable neighborhoods of Andong.” DARA Europe is structurally committed to the children and families in the Phnom Penh suburb. We support programs and projects focused on education, safety, health, welfare, employment and income.
Srey Neat is the oldest daughter in a family of four children. Her mother died in 2012, shortly after the birth of her youngest daughter. Her father was unable to properly care for the family due to a serious illness. The four children lived from 2012 to 2018 in the center that Tirza started under the banner of Stellar Child Care Organization (SCCO). From the temporary shelter, (orphaned) children were guided to a safe living environment. Preferably in their own family, and otherwise in a foster home.
“Srey Neat was a teenager when she lived in our children’s center,” Tirza looks back. “Because she spent many years taking care of her siblings, she had missed a lot of school. DARA Europe’s support enabled her to go to a good school. She also took tutoring and received coaching and career advice. Through the social enterprise of the Kate Korpi Salon in Phnom Penh, she was eventually able to get good vocational training.” Srey Neat: “I really wanted to become a hairdresser, and thanks to the support of SCCO’s team, my dream came true. I successfully completed the training of more than two years, specializing in cutting, coloring and makeup.”
The Kate Korpi Salon is known as a leading beauty salon for hair, makeup and skin care. Many expats and celebrities visit, and the stylists also provide styling for fashion shows. Tirza: “Srey Neat learned all about high-end hairstyling during Kate Korpi’s training. She also learned to speak perfect English and developed herself personally. She has really started to shine.”
After completing her training, Srey Neat worked at Kate Korpi Salon as a hair stylist for several years. In 2021, she made the move to Leekaja Salon, another leading salon in Cambodia. Srey Neat: “I love working as a hairdresser, and my job also allows me to help my family. Part of my salary I give to father, brothers and sister. On the weekends, I help my sister with homework.”
“With a degree under her belt, a fine workplace and a good income, Srey Neat is a wonderful role model for many girls and women in Andong,” adds Tirza. “She is independent, strong, energetic and internationally oriented. But she is also still strongly committed to her family. I am convinced that she is making an important contribution to a better future for the people of Andong.”
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