After her first visit to Varanasi, India, professional beautician Maricruz Morales had a vision of offering free training in the Beauty Arts to impoverished Indian women. She ran hair styling workshops for several years, and as the classes grew, she realized the need for an established location to further develop the program.
Shakti Beauty School was founded in 2019 as an offering within our woman’s empowerment initiative, Project Shakti. Since then, Maricruz and her team of like-minded colleagues, all unpaid volunteers, have been teaching hair styling, makeup artistry, manicure/pedicure, henna design and eyebrow threading to disadvantaged women of all ages. By learning these skills, students are able to find work to support themselves and their families.
Promising Shakti Beauty School participants are eligible to receive scholarships for advanced vocational training and professional certification. These credentials create opportunities for employment at top-tier salons throughout Varanasi and other major cities in India. A single scholarship costs $869. This formal training and certification will prepare a young woman for a career that will uplift her and help her bring her family out of poverty.
Shakti Beauty School is more than just a school. It is a safe gathering place where women find support and inspiration to learn and grow. Each year we are touched by the eagerness of so many of the participants to learn new skills and the deep gratitude they express for the opportunity to learn from MariCruz and her team.
Donate to Shakti Beauty School
We also gratefully accept donations of the following items which are needed for vocational training:
- Hair cutting scissors, capes, combs (small & large)
- Paddle & wet brushes
- Shampoo capes
- Hair clips
- Make Up & application brushes
