Fifty-one-year-old Nazir Khan is a traditional person. He prefers doing things the old way.

In his small barber shop which almost only can fit two people, Mr Khan told the Fiji Sun about how the Government’s grant through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism helped him recover things he had lost during Tropical Cyclone Winston.

“As you can see I am in my very small space here. I have been a barber for a very long time and I have some customers who have been coming to me for years. In this business you make friends and sometimes they become very close to you,” he said.

“I received $680 from the Government and with it I was able to buy a very good brand of shears or clippers.

“I just want to thank the Government for helping me out in this way.”

Mr Khan has plans though to move to a bigger place.

“I want a bigger place, somewhere I can put an extra chair and maybe get someone else to help me here in the barber shop. On a good week I can make $100 to $150 and from that I put aside a little for my rent for this space which is $130 a month.”

Mr Khan has also trained barbers in his shop and helped set them up in their own business.

“I have trained more than 10 people and now they have all gone and started their own business.

“Through the grant I was also able to get some more things that I needed.”

Edited by Jonathan Bryce

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