How one Yadel girl is inspired by Shades of Elegance supremo

Roughly four years ago Stacy had to flee her home based in one of Kingston’s violent-plagued communities. At the time, the best decision was to place the then 13 year-old in care of the state.

Stacy was assigned to Yadel Home for Girls, founded in 2011 by the New Testament Church in collaboration with the Jamaican government. Naturally it was difficult settling in with her new ‘family’ which knows nothing about.

But not too long however, Stacy became interested in cosmetology as every three months she and all the girls are taken to Shades of Elegance Salon and Spa – the premier of its kind in Old Harbour – where they received a full complement of what’s on offer from head to toe.

“I’m interested in cosmetology because I want persons to feel beautiful about themselves and have confidence,” said the 17-year-old fifth form student who attends a popular high school in Spanish Town.

It’s an admission that should not be taken for granted or ridiculed. After all, Stacy and all the girls suffer from low self-esteem which has a lot to do with the circumstance they were brought up in from a tender age.

In an effort to pull herself out of this psychological abyss, Stacy has been feeding from the energy and resolve observed in Treacha Reid-McCalla, founder and managing director of Shades of Elegance.

RELATED ARTICLE: The reason why Shades of Elegance boss Treacha Reid-McCalla supports the Yadel Home for Girls

RELATED ARTICLE: Yadel Home for Girls pampered by Shades of Elegance

For the past five years Reid-McCalla has been piloting this initiative to treat the girls every quarter with a view of giving them hope to surmount any hurdle that life throws at them.

And that seed of hope ostensibly has been sown for sure in Stacy, who after spending over three years at Yadel was recetnly reunited with her mom at her home in Kingston where she travels to and from school in addition to undergoing job experience at Shades of Elegance.

“What inspired me about her (Treacha Reid-McCalla) is how she takes her job very, very seriously,” she said in an interview with Old Harbour News Wednesday while attending to one of her former home girls.

“She works very hard and that inspires me because in the future I would like to become like, have my own salon and everything and it also inspires me to see her reaching out and helping others.”

She said it’s a fantastic feeling to be now on the other end helping out the girls.

“It’s a big difference,” she added. “Being on the receiving end was a wonderful experience getting your hair treat, everything. You feel nice, you feel like a woman.

“To give back, for me, is to give the person the same feeling that you’ve received.”

Now on the verge of adulthood, there is no doubt that this budding hairdresser has the right attitude and aptitude to be successful. And without doubt Shades of Elegance supremo deservedly will receive a lot of plaudits.