Some of the distressed OFWs who are staying temporarily at the Filipino Workers Resource Centre in Faiha and are awaiting repatriation to the Philippines have undergone a Cosmetology and Massage Therapy Training Course under the auspices of Filipino beauty experts Melinda Marquez Sordian and Farida Al- Halimi in cooperation with the Philippine Overseas Labour Office under the leadership of Labour Attache David Des Dicang.

The wards who completed the Cosmetology and Massage Therapy Training Course received their certificates of completion during the graduation ceremony on Tuesday at the FWRC with Chelsea Dado, the spouse of the Philippine Charge d’ Affaires as the guest of honour. “We would like to congratulate everyone who completed the training course. I believe that whatever knowledge that you have acquired from the course will be very useful when you get home. Women like us have this innate interest in beauty and it’s just up to us to develop this interest. Who knows one of you might own one of the biggest salons someday,” Dado quipped in her brief speech.

The graduation ceremony hosted by Philippine Welfare Officer Norlita Lugtu was also attended by Philippine Labour Attache Dicang and some Filipino community leaders. “We would like to thank Melanie Marquez Sordian and Farida Al-Halimi for organising this training course for our wards. This would greatly benefit them and they can use their knowledge to apply for better jobs when they go home to the Philippines or maybe they can put up their own spa business,” stated Dicang. Sordian along with Al-Halimi volunteered to teach the distressed wards at the Filipino Workers Resource Centre (FWRC) in Faiha the basic manicure and pedicure techniques, how to do acrylic nails, gel nails as well as manicure and pedicure spa tips while Al- Halimi taught them the basics in haircut and hair colour. “After our very successful training course in February, I’m very happy that we have once again completed the second training course with flying colours.

We are hoping that with our little knowledge that we have shared to all these women, we will help them realize that there is more to being a household service worker. Some of those who completed the course in February are now back in the Philippines and have found employment in some salons which is very heartwarming,” disclosed Sordian, the owner of Mel Marquez Beauty Academy and Nail Lounge in the Philippines. Aside from receiving their certificate of completion, the wards also got gift bags from their mentors. “I’m very thankful to Labour Attache Dicang for giving us a chance to share our knowledge and be able to help our kababayan. We hope to continue doing these training courses with our wards here with the support of POLO and our family and friends,” stated Al-Halimi, the owner of Rawan Al-Salmiya Ladies Beauty Salon

Source: KUNA