Mr Ali hopes to expand his business in the hope that he can become a chain in the future.

Cutting hair for a living can seem tedious for some, but for Farish Ali it is his livelihood and a passion.

Based in Ba town, Farisha thanked Government for the grant he received through the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism after TC Winston.

“My business is very small. It was already hard to maintain before the cyclone came and then the cyclone took all that I had,” Farisha said.

“With the grant, I was able to buy two big mirrors and this has been a big plus. I have also bought a top-of-the-range shears and clippers.

“People are now frequenting the shop and my client base is growing.”

Mr Ali hopes to expand his business in the hope that he can become a chain in the future.

“I want to grow the business. I hope to move to a better, bigger place and I plan to get more chairs.”

In a small town that has more than 12 barber shops, Mr Ali feels the heat of competition but is confident of the ‘word-of-mouth’ advertising.

“If you do the work well, if you satisfy your customers then you won’t need to go out and look for clients. They will spread the word for you and before you know it, the business is sustaining itself.”

The lone barber at Bula Barber Shop, Mr Ali says the government’s support to small business owners like him has been tremendous.

“To know that even small businesses like us are being thought of is something special. The Government truly cares for everyone equally.”

Edited by Percy Kean

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