A year ago, Kari Higgins, a volunteer from Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican, approached Rodrigo Lopez of Innovation Hair Stylists in Ajijic and asked the 36-year-old if he would consider providing free training classes on hairstyling and makeup to women living in this economically-challenged village located east of Mescala.
And nearly every Monday since his first visit in April 2018, Lopez has made his way to San Pedro Itzican – about an hour’s drive from Ajijic – where, he says, “kids and dogs outnumber adults.”
Meeting in one of the women’s homes, Lopez’s class begins at noon. He spends three hours teaching approximately 14 students the art of hairstyling and makeup and each student brings along a willing model on whom they can practice their newly learned skills.
“After just one hour of training, most of these women can begin cutting hair and applying makeup,” says Lopez. “I accepted Kari’s request because I wanted to teach the women a skill and show them how they could make money working from their homes.”
Fortunately for these women, a number of Mexicans who have returned to live in San Pedro Itzican and the surrounding villages lived and worked in the United States. Therefore, they have money to spend on luxuries such as haircuts and makeup. Their big weddings and celebrations have become an important a source of revenue for the local hairstylists and makeup artists.
Since 2016, Poco a Poco has been working alongside the Brigada program, which was initially created for the village of San Pedro Itzican. A volunteer Brigada leader coordinates all of their projects and teaches their youth leaders, with the aid of state firefighter groups from Guadalajara. These volunteer youth find ways to educate, train and encourage families to learn skills to help themselves. The Brigada’s contributions to the hairstyling program have included donating brushes, hairdryers and scissors. Yet, according to the volunteers, there’s always the need for more supplies.
The main motivation for the women of San Pedro Itzican is to learn skills in order to become independent. As residents of this poor, predominantly farming community, these women hope to get other hairstylists, makeup artists, and trainers to teach manicures and pedicures, and also to assist them with this project.
Says Francisco Nava, a volunteer with Poco a Poco, “Everything we do as volunteers is in support of the Brigada’s amazing work. All of our projects are initiated by the requests from the Brigada, and as volunteers we attempt to fulfill their requirements.”
He continues: “These poor villages lack businesses where these women can work. The area’s once thriving fishing business has dwindled. Also, most of these villages lack decent public transportation, to get to places like Chapala.”
The original board members of Poco a Poco resigned last January, having decided to go in different directions. However, projects generated from the organization are still continuing as before and under the leadership of Francisco Nava, Kari Higgins and Doris Wakeman. With these changes at the board level, Poco a Poco is now working as a partner with the Brigada.
Along with their hairstyling project, Poco a Poco is also supporting a seed-planting project and programs in jewelry-making, music and knitting.
Says Nava, “Of all our programs, the jewelry-making program has made the most advancement. Many of the women jewelers sell their products in stores in Ajijic, as well as on the various malecons. Kari Higgins oversees the jewelry and knitting program. Soon we’ll have a sewing program, which we’re getting ready to launch.”
Lopez says that he sees much hope with the hairstyling program.
“I’ve got three or four students who are especially intelligent and ambitious. I’m looking forward to watching their progress and eventual success as they go about creating their own hairstyling and makeup businesses in their villages.”
Lopez spent two years training to be a hairdresser in Southern California before moving to Ajijic in 2007. Born in Michoacán, his family moved to California when he was 12.
He says, “I started working as a hairstylist 15 years ago near the Ajijic plaza. Then, for the next ten years, I operated out of a home in another village location. My salon, Innovation Hair Stylists, has been at its current location on Marcos Castellanos since last year.”
He adds: “I moved back to Mexico because I’m happier here. I do what I want to do, and I enjoy helping people. I love teaching my classes and living in Ajijic. After living near Los Angeles and then in Guadalajara, I quickly saw that big city life is not my thing.”
For more information, see pocoapocosanpedro.com.