Mayan Families Guatemala

The Mayan Families Beauty Salon 

Picking up on the global demand for income generating programs for women, we launched an innovative training scheme in July of this year to teach local indigenous women the art of manicures and pedicures with the view to open a fully functioning salon that will meet the growing demand for tourists and locals alike. 

The Mayan Families Beauty Salon is the first of its kind within the region in that it selects women who have no formal education and are often in desperate economic circumstances to be trained from scratch by experienced beauticians from the US as well as Guatemala. 

Our Co-Founder, Sharon Smart, believes that projects such as this are key to creating sustainable change within the community. “For many of these women, this is the first time that they have ever had any sort of independent income,” she says. “One woman, Marilyn, lost her home after Hurricane Agatha. The home her family currently occupies has a tin roof and the walls are falling apart. Marilyn and her husband struggle to provide for their three children by holding unstable jobs such as selling cell phones or driving a moto-taxi. A steady income will give this family the ability to lift themselves out of poverty.”

The school is currently seeking cash and in-kind donations. To sustain the project for the next 3 months, the organization needs $2,500 which covers the following costs: 

• Restocking supplies and materials 

• Training equipment 

• Monthly bills such as water, electricity, rent 

• And local Guatemalan teacher’s salary 

Help us raise $2,500 to continue this important project! If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be very grateful. You can send a donation at http://mayanfamilies.org/DonateNow. Please fill in the amount in the field marked OTHER and in the DETAILS field, please indicate ‘Beauty Salon.’ 

There are several ways that you can get involved to keep the exciting project alive:

Option 1: Become a Beauty Salon Sponsor! 
For just $100 a month, you can be a principal project sponsor and enjoy the following benefits:

• Your picture and name will be up on our salon “Hall of Fame” 
• Free salon services when you visit us here in Guatemala
• Pride for helping a Guatemalan woman empower herself and her children

Option 2: Give a small donation
To continue the project for the next 3 months, the organization needs $2,500 which covers the following costs:

• Restocking supplies and materials
• Training equipment
• Monthly bills such as water, electricity, rent
• And local Guatemalan teacher’s salary 

If you are able to help with even a small donation, we would be very grateful! 

Option 3: Send down in-kind donations
The salon is in need of in-kind donations as well. If you wish to send supplies, materials, products, training equipment, etc. please contact melanie@mayanfamilies.org 

Once the first group of women is trained, the salon will open its doors to tourists and locals alike that can enjoy the services in exchange for a suggested donation, providing a new income source for the first group of graduates who will then pass on their skill to a new group of trainees!