A DIVINE Project
Did you know that Casa Benjamin Linder is part of a non-profit organization? Our Nicaragua education and solidarity work is part of the Jubilee House Community and its project in Nicaragua, the Center for Development in Central America. Read below to learn more from our CDCA blog about our newest project and how you can help. Your generosity and participation makes all our work possible, thank you!
We have a new project and it needs your help!
This Giving Tuesday, 3 December 2024, our goal is to raise $10,000,
with generous donors providing initial matching funds,
in order to
Start the DIVINE Project, creating an LGBTQ+ training space to teach professional salon skills.
DIVINE stands for Diversity in Integral Vocational Instruction for Nicaraguan Entrepreneurs and will train 25 people as Certified Basic Beauty Technicians giving them the hands-on experience needed to qualify them to start their own salon business, a highly desired small business opportunity. Professional make-up and hair styling is a booming market in Managua, and is an industry where the sexual diversity community is already accepted.
How did this project come about?
DIVINE is a happy blending of needs and resource::
The Nueva Vida Clinic has had an LGBTQ+ support group - in Nicaragua called the sexual diversity community - for many years, which is now connected to the larger LGBTQ+ community in Managua. This group tells us that the biggest struggle their members face is being able to pay rent. As is common worldwide, many folks were kicked out of their family homes as adolescents. Often, they turned to sex work to survive and used drugs and alcohol to cope. In order to turn their lives around, they need to be able to support themselves with safe and dignified employment.
The JHC-CDCA received a beautiful old house with a lot of potential in Managua as a donation in 2023. The house is located in a business district, making it a perfect location to attract paying clientele. We plan to turn several rooms of the house into a training space and salon.
Our very own Claudia already runs a successful makeup salon and loves to teach - she taught our at-risk girls’ groups makeup classes. She will not only teach makeup and hair styling, but also the customer service and marketing skills needed to run a salon.
Claudia teaching Lobas makeup classes
DIVINE Dreams
This project brings in participants from the Nueva Vida Clinic’s Sexual Diversity support group and others who will be trained as future salon professionals in theory, practice, and marketing; enabling them to become entrepreneurs with dignity in an atmosphere where they don’t have to fear what may be said or done to them because of their identity.
At a recent focus group, participants told us why they want to be part of the project:
DIVINE participants sharing roadblocks and dreams
“We trans women can’t work in just any job,” says one participant. “and we don’t go to other technical courses that are offered because we are afraid we’ll be discriminated against.”
“I want to learn and have my own studio and to give jobs to other trans women, to be able to help others grow.”
“I teach and perform dance. I often have to hire makeup artists. If I learned professional makeup, then I would have much better earnings.”
“I want to help my neighborhood, not just think of myself. I want to inspire others to do better.”
“I want to help other students because I don’t want younger kids coming up to go through what I had to go through.”
How will it work?
DIVINE classes will take place over the course of four months. Claudia will teach students all elements of a basic beauty course, with an emphasis in makeup and hairstyling in order to prepare them to fully meet the needs of special event clients such as brides and quinceñeras.
Students will receive hands-on training by working in the teaching salon that we hope to set up in the house. As they solidify their skills, students will rotate attending the clients. They will do work rotations in reception, marketing and social media, client communication, makeup, hair, and cleaning.
Every student will receive a nationally recognized Certificate in Basic Beauty Technique at the end of the course.
Sustainability
The overall project is estimated to cost $28,000, and our goal this Giving Tuesday is to raise initial set-up and training funds. Training materials and set-up will cost $8,000, salon set-up and installation another $10,000. The project total also includes the work needing to be done on the wonderful old building we inherited, including replacing the brittle roof to stop the deluge pouring through roof and ceiling when it rains, and be able to support solar panels. With Giving Tuesday funds, we will start with training materials for the students, working toward eventually having available a fully furnished high-end salon installed under a dry roof.
Casa San Juan - with brittle leaky roof needing replacement; then solar panels - future home of the DIVINE Salon project
This project will become self-sustaining after initial set up, as the proceeds from the salon begin to cover the cost of materials, operating the salon and the cost of instructors. Members of the first class are expected to continue to help the project become successful by becoming helpers and mentors to subsequent classes, which will add to the project’s sustainability.
Giving Tuesday
You can help and we need you! This Giving Tuesday, 3 December 2024, our goal is to raise $10,000 to get the project started.
Generous donors have agreed to match up to $1,000.
Please donate and share.
