Cutting hair, changing lives: Hairstyling students travel abroad to teach haircutting skills  

July 29, 2025

A small group of passionate Georgian Hairstyling diploma students are packing up their scissors and heading abroad – not for a vacation, but on a mission to transform the lives of those living in poverty.

This fall, the students will travel to Guatemala with volunteer Hair Aid hairdressers from around the world to teach people living in impoverished communities how to cut hair. Over five days, they will empower locals with practical, income-generating skills that can help them launch their own micro-businesses.

Students from Georgian’s Hairstyling diploma program visited Guatemala in 2024 to teach locals how to cut hair and start their own micro-businesses.

When the locals have completed their training, they’ll receive a scissor toolkit so they can start supporting their families immediately.

“These student volunteers aren’t just teaching a trade; they’re helping build pathways out of poverty,” says Rena Lang, an instructor in the Hairstyling program. “By showing locals how to cut hair professionally, they’re offering a sustainable way to buy food, access housing and clean water, and send their children to school.”

The impact doesn’t stop there, adds Rena.

“Hair Aid also brings these volunteers into neighbourhods where they’ll give free haircuts, restoring dignity and inspiring hope in those facing hardship.”

Many students in the Hair Aid program are young mothers.

Hairstyling students hosting Hair Aid fundraiser this August

The Student Hair Studio at the Barrie Campus will host a Hair Aid fundraiser Aug. 7, 11 and 14 with all donations going to cover essential costs for the trip like travel, insurance and meals, so that volunteers like Kaylee Magani can focus on what really matters – changing lives through the power of a haircut.

We spoke with Kaylee, a two-time volunteer, about what inspires her about Hair Aid, volunteering, and the Georgian program that introduced her to both.

What inspired you to volunteer with Hair Aid?

When I first went into hairstyling, it was because I wanted to make people feel good about themselves. The opportunity to volunteer with Hair Aid allowed me to reach that goal on an even bigger and more impactful scale.

I was also interested in travelling abroad, and the chance to help people in impoverished communities aligned with my personal goals…it was perfect timing and a bit of fate and fortune.

What was your experience of travelling abroad like?

It’s hard to put my experience into words; I went through so many indescribable emotions. The only thing I can articulate for certain is that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There was a fair bit of culture shock, but it really puts your feelings, struggles and issues into perspective when you see what other people are going through.

What was the most challenging part of teaching someone how to cut hair for the first time?

It was intimidating at first, but I just tapped into the same compassion, patience and understanding that my instructors showed me. Watching someone learn a new skill that could change their life was more than just rewarding…it was transformative.

Can you share a story about a trainee who left a strong impression on you?

I met a mom who brought her kids with her every day of the training. As a mother of two myself, watching her care for her children while at the same time being engaged in the learning was an eye-opening reminder that as moms, we’ll do whatever we need to do to make a better life for our families.”

Knowing that we shared a similar experience despite being in different countries and different situations 100 per cent changed the way I view poverty. The things I saw while abroad also changed the way I weigh my own struggles.

Kaylee Magani (right) teaches a Guatemalan woman how to cut hair during the 2024 Hair Aid trip.

What would you say to other students considering volunteering with Hair Aid?

Do it! This is something that you will carry for the rest of your life, and it will absolutely change your life.

What are your plans for the future?

I graduated from the Hairstyling program in 2024 and want to continue volunteering with Hair Aid but realized when I was on the first trip there was so much more I can do, so I enrolled in Georgian’s Social Service Worker diploma to learn about other ways I could help people. My goal is to eventually work for an organization that does volunteer work but continue making the annual trip with Hair Aid.