With the aim of creating a better tomorrow for Sri Lanka’s small-time barbers, a special benevolent fund was launched at the inaugural general meeting of Sri Lanka Barbers Association (BASL) at the BMICH in Colombo on Monday. Around 120 barbers attended the launch of the association aimed at providing benefits for 50,000 practicing barbers spread [...]

The Sundaytimes Sri Lanka

Small-time barbers come together, launch benevolent fund

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With the aim of creating a better tomorrow for Sri Lanka’s small-time barbers, a special benevolent fund was launched at the inaugural general meeting of Sri Lanka Barbers Association (BASL) at the BMICH in Colombo on Monday.

Around 120 barbers attended the launch of the association aimed at providing benefits for 50,000 practicing barbers spread across the country with the largest concentration of about 15,000 working in the Western Province.

Section of the audience.. Pix by M. A.Pushpa Kumara

Cosmotech Pvt Ltd, sole distributors for ‘Wella’, Wahl’, ‘Tuft’ and ‘Jericho’ products in Sri Lanka which initiated the formation of this trade association dedicated exclusively for small-time barbers made a donation of Rs. 100,000 as an initial start-up, to set up the benevolent fund.The membership fee, donations and the money raised by the association will be credited to this fund which is expected to be maintained as a superannuation account for the benefit of barbers during their old age, Cosmotech Pvt Ltd Chairman Shirantha Peries, said.

He added that the activities of the association would be carried out by using the money of the fund.

The association will also organise and embark on schemes to secure the welfare and well-being of members during their retirement, he revealed.

M. Balakrishnan

Until the BASL launch this week, there was no trade association dedicated exclusively for the barber sector.

Members will be made up of small, street-shop barbers, the traditional hair-cutter, and not the up market hair salons whose workers are known as either hair dressers or stylists.

But as Sri Lankans young and old become more self conscious and spend more time and money on professional services, products and treatments, male grooming has grown rapidly and this trend is set to continue, he added.

With barbers encountering a more stylish clientele, the need to raise professional standards, keep abreast of trends and sharpen technical skills to deliver the styles men want increases.

This is why a dedicated association that provides support and helps to capitalise on the vast opportunities is needed, he pointed out.
This association seeks to bring small-time barbers together under a common umbrella and thus give their profession greater strength, he added.

It will promote and foster interaction and the sharing of knowledge among practicing barbers while enhancing their skills through

Nirosh Ranawake Arachchi

international exposure.

The main objective of the SLBA is to represent the barber community in their hour of need and thereby provide the job security of members belonging to such an organisation.

It will represent the barber community of Sri Lanka as an organized body in influencing, changing or facilitating national policy related to the profession.

Newly elected president of the association Nirosh Ranawake Arachchi, the owner of the salon “Adon”, told the gathering that the small-time barber has not been given a proper place or acceptance in Sri Lankan society, although people sought their assistance to cut hair and shave the beard.

The newly formed association will strive to bring value to this profession, he pledged.

M. Balakrishnan, the owner of “Roy” salon at Dematagoda, speaking to Business Times at the lobby of the BMICH committee room ‘B’ before his election to the post of vice president of the association, said that he was in the business for 48 years and started working at a salon in Maradana when he was 18 years old.

He noted that small-time barbers had to work silently fulfilling the needs of customers and their future is uncertain.

“There was no one to talk about them and their services have not been recognised, but with this initiative suddenly, every one focused their attention on us and this is a good sign,” he said, adding that “a new path was opened for young barbers to pursue their career with new hope of international exposure.” “Our days have gone but we should do something towards improvement of our vocation and youths who are entering into this job,” he said with a grin of joy mixed with sadness. This was long felt need and small-time barbers across the country should join hands to form a potent force to fight for their rights, he added. A young barber, Danushka Punyasiri, owner of Double D salon in Pitakotte, pointed out that he is watching the upcoming activities of the association cautiously because bringing the barber community under one umbrella is not an easy task. He stressed the need of creating a strong community of like-minded barbering professionals. Nuwan Sameera, a barber serving in the Sri Lanka army salon, said that although he has a pension and other benefits, they also need to get access to great deals on products, tools, training and other services.

This profession is changing with the needs of the modern world and it should move away from traditional barbering, he added.
“The association will take measures to upgrade the quality and the knowledge of small time barbers in this country and give them other opportunities such as gaining foreign employment and pave the way for them to become confident hair cutting technicians,” new president of the association Nirosh Ranawake Arachchi noted.

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