Styling a Better Future

For youth like Sonia and Rima, the towns that flourish on the periphery of tea estates offer more opportunities for gainful employment. But, because of substandard schooling and a lack of training, people from tea estates often can't compete with more qualified applicants. The Community Health and Advancement Initiative (CHAI) has helped 400 youth over the past year with scholarships, technical trainings and apprenticeships, including Sonia and Rima. Mercy Corps helped find the two young women find apprenticeships at the Nistha Beauty Parlor in the city of Chabua, a bustling place not far from the Maud Tea Estate.