Sharing love from the free haircut service.

For a long time, many people have made a clear distinction between making money and doing charity. Contrary to this belief, Nguyen Chi Bao (born in 1999), residing in Ward 1, Dong Ha City, uses his profession to help others through free haircuts. Behind this meaningful act is the story of a young man who overcame many difficulties to start his own business.

Mr. Nguyen Chi Bao (second from the right) and his friends provide free haircuts for the local people - Photo: Provided.

Overcoming difficulties to find a job.

Amidst the sweltering heat of April, many residents of Dong Ha City and the surrounding areas flocked to a small, shady corner on Hoang Dieu Street to receive free haircuts. The large number of customers kept Bao and his seven companions constantly busy. Yet, no one seemed tired. They were happy whenever they received compliments or thanks from their special customers.

Taking a few minutes to rest, Bao introduced himself as the owner of Bao Barber, located at 26 Hai Ba Trung Street, Dong Ha City. Since starting his career, he has harbored the idea of ​​organizing free haircuts. This idea stemmed primarily from Bao's kind heart. Born and raised in a less affluent family, Bao understood the hardships of life. His father worked as a porter, and his mother was a street vendor. To support their three children's education, Bao's parents constantly struggled to earn even the smallest amounts of money. Despite this, they always cared for and reminded their children: "Even torn paper must retain its edges."

Understanding his family's circumstances, even while still in high school, Bao decided he wanted to learn a trade to help his parents. Therefore, after leaving school, he quickly sought guidance and mentorship. Not only did he learn at famous salons near his home, but Bao also traveled to Ho Chi Minh City to grasp new hairdressing trends and techniques. After two years of diligent study, he boldly asked his parents for a loan to open a men's barbershop. “That was a very stressful time for me. For the first few months, the shop was very empty. The difficulties multiplied when the pandemic broke out. At that time, looking to the future, I only saw a bleak future,” Bao recounted.

In that context, the encouragement and support of his family further motivated Bao. He determined that, first and foremost, he needed to attract customers so that he could win them over with his skills. With that in mind, Bao didn't hesitate to lower prices; he even went to customers' homes to serve them; he increased advertising... Thanks to this, the number of customers gradually increased. Seeing that Bao was skilled, kind, and hardworking, many people became regular customers of his shop. Some customers even recommended his shop to their relatives and friends.

Over time, the number of customers coming to Bão's shop increased. At times, he didn't even have time to rest or eat. Thinking he wouldn't be able to hold out if this continued, Bão considered hiring more apprentices. Knowing his intention, many young people came to Bão to learn the trade, including some who had once been his customers. This gave Bão more motivation. He taught everyone enthusiastically. "Currently, my shop regularly has 5-7 main and assistant apprentices. Most of them are struggling financially. Understanding their circumstances, besides teaching them the trade, I also strive to create a stable income for them, treating them like family members," Bão shared.

Work done with a sincere heart.

Since entering the hairdressing profession and overcoming challenges, Bao's kind heart has always driven him to perform good deeds. He not only supports underprivileged young people who share his passion, but also helps many customers. As a habit, Bao frequently chats with customers while cutting their hair. When he learns of someone in need, he readily offers a free haircut. To avoid making customers feel awkward, Bao always finds reasonable excuses.

Mr. Bao (on the right) advises his friends on a suitable haircut for a student - Photo: Provided

However, those small actions weren't enough to satisfy Bao. Studying customer psychology, Bao knew that people were often hesitant to leave a shop without spending any money. On the other hand, those who were truly struggling financially often avoided large-scale establishments. Therefore, Bao immediately thought of mobilizing his main and assistant barbers to choose a clean, cool, and busy area to offer free haircuts. "When I shared the idea, everyone in the shop agreed. Everyone was happy to find common ground," Bao recounted.

Acting on his idea, in April 2024, Bao and his friends surveyed and selected rural villages on the outskirts of the city with few barbershops to organize their activities. This initiative quickly attracted the attention of many people. Most of the people who came to Bao were manual laborers. Facing the hardships and worries of life, they had to scrimp and save on every small expense, including haircuts. Among the customers, Bao remembers most vividly the radiant, happy faces after getting haircuts of disabled children, lonely elderly people, and the sick... Rarely paying attention to their appearance, they became happier with the support of Bao and the other members.

After the initial success, the desire to organize more free haircut programs grew stronger in Bão's heart, and he continued to pursue it. He wasn't just focused on those in need; he was determined to create opportunities for free haircuts for everyone. Bão always believed in people's self-respect and kindness. If they didn't truly need it, they wouldn't seek him out for a free haircut. Therefore, he and his team members didn't hesitate to stand on the roadside offering their services to people.

Mr. Phan Phuoc Tue, residing in Cam Hieu commune, Cam Lo district, one of Bao's customers, shared: "On my way home from work, I was invited in by the young people for a free haircut. I was very happy to be cared for. I didn't expect that even though it was free, the young people still cut my hair carefully and beautifully, so I'm very satisfied."

Bão stated that in the future, he will strive harder to build a brand for his shop. Along with that, he will expand his free haircut service. Not only in Dong Ha City, Bão is determined to work with his friends to reach disadvantaged areas, centers, and hospitals to support people. “Thanks to this profession, I am where I am today. Therefore, I want to use my work to show my gratitude to the profession and repay life's kindness,” Bão said.

Tay Long

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/trao-gui-yeu-thuong-tu-diem-cat-toc-0-dong-193222.htm