Deaf hairdresser lets her work do the talking

At Clicks Salon and Beauty Parlour in downtown Nyeri, one hairdresser has been catching the eye of clients with her exquisite work.

Judy Wachera, 35, is deaf, but her hearing impairment is the least of her worries, as long as she does what she loves.

Although she has worked at the beauty parlour for only three months, Wachera has made such an impact that her workmates have taken up sign language classes to be able to communicate with her.

Wachera, who comes from Karima in Othaya, is one of four children, but is the only one with impaired hearing.

She was a year old when she lost her hearing. Her parents took her to different hospitals in Nyeri to find out the cause, but all in vain.

She studied at Tumutumu Girls School for the deaf, where she learnt sign language.

She later joined a beauty school in Nairobi, where she studied beauty and therapy, which have been her passion since childhood.

TENACITY

She later moved back home to Nyeri and got married in Othaya town. Her two children live with her parents in Kiriani.

Wachera’s husband is also deaf, and that is why they took their children to to live with her parents for the time being.

“Since everybody else can speak and hear, we want the children to be able to experience it until they are ready to take up sign language,” she wrote on a piece paper. She hopes to teach her children sign language.

The first born is 14 and the younger one is five. This, she feels, is too young for them to learn sign language.

Ms Wachera was told of a job opening by her friend and she immediately went to the salon. “I was already working in another salon, but I needed a bigger challenge,” she said. It was a competitive post, but her determination and tenacity saw her get the job.

WELL-MANNERED

Ms Peninah Ncekei, the owner of the parlour, told the Nation that Waceke would not take “no” for an answer.

“I asked her to come back after two weeks so that I could evaluate the other candidates, but she would not wait. She wanted to work here badly so I decided to give her a shot. It’s one of the best decisions I ever made,” Ncekei said.

“I let her serve the next client who walked in and she did a very impressive job,” she said.

Ncekei added that Wachera is very kind and willing to learn, which makes her worth having around.

She goes for sign language classes on Mondays to enable her to communicate better with Wachera.

The hairdresser says she has adapted to her situation and she is humbled that her boss is learning sign language so they can communicate better.

“It makes me feel welcome and accepted. My colleagues are also learning sign language, which makes me very happy,” she says.

COMPASSION

Wachera is also surprised at how nicely people treat her when they realise she is deaf, especially given her line of work, where small talk is the order of the day.

But Ncekei says children are yet to get used to Wachera and often ask to have their hair done by someone chatty because they find her too quiet.

“The adults are very understanding and many even tip her for the great job, which I find touching,” Ncekei said.

Those who cannot understand sign language write their instructions down.

Wachera has hobbies that make her light up as she writes them down. She loves swimming, trying out new foods and travelling, which she says she has loved since she was a little girl.