Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute, a beauty and style institution, is making significant strides in combating poverty through its Skill Out of Poverty initiative.
The Scholarship Programme equips participants with professional hairdressing skills, empowering them with the tools to establish sustainable careers in the beauty care industry.
The exercise includes intensive classroom trainings followed by an extensive practical work and industrial attachment at the Natures Gentle Touch Hair Clinic located at No. 22 Oduduwa Way Ikeja GRA Lagos.
Graduating students are certified as Cosmetologists and are equipped with requisite skills necessary to meet the growing demands of the beauty and personal care industry.
Established in 2007, by Mr. Chika Ikenga, Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute has grown into one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest conservatoires of beauty and style education producing over 400 graduates who have gone on to become Trichologists, Hair Technicians, and other beauty professionals.
The legacy underscores the institute’s commitment to vocational excellence and its pivotal role in shaping the future of beauty and personal care.
“At Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute, we believe in the power of skill acquisition to transform lives. The ‘Skill Out of Poverty’ scholarship provides opportunities for personal and professional growth”.
Chijioke Anaele, CEO of the Institute, remarked.
“Our graduates leave not just with certifications but with a renewed sense of purpose and the ability to create lasting change.”
Bibian Agunwa, Branch Manager of the institute, added:
“This scholarship is more than just a regular skill empowerment programme; it’s about making participants become the best version of themselves.
Watching our students evolve into skilled professionals highlights the potentialities that could be unlocked through dedicated training and support.”
Akinshola Rotimi Williams, an alumnus of the institute, reflected on his experience with the scholarship:
“Participating in the programme has truly been life-changing for me. Having been part of it nearly 15 years ago, I can confidently look back and say it was one of the best decisions I ever made.
From this scholarship, I’ve been able to sustain myself, provide for my family, and shape my life into what it is today. I am deeply grateful to the institute for the opportunity and the transformative impact it has had on my journey. And for me to still be here as a technician 15 years after the programme, it’s confirmation of my testimony. “
Kehinde Edgewomi, a Batch 28 scholarship recipient, highlighted the comprehensive nature of the programme, which incorporates regular academic subjects such as physics, chemistry, and biology into its curriculum, allowing participants to gain a well-rounded education comparable to formal academic settings.
“I have learned so much since joining this programme,” Kehinde shared. “We are not only taught the art of hairdressing, but we also study subjects like physics, chemistry, and biology.
Additionally, we have sessions on professional development, where we cover important topics such as personal hygiene, communication, ethics, and etiquette.”
As a beacon of vocational education in Nigeria, the institute envisions a future where skill acquisition becomes a cornerstone for poverty alleviation and economic empowerment.
The Skill Out of Poverty initiative is just one of many efforts by Natures Gentle Touch Hair Institute to build a brighter future for individuals and communities alike.
