Breaking Stereotypes: Enactus Ramjas Creates 'Transgender Beauticians', Opens Salons For Them

Delhi-based Ramjas College's social entrepreneurship society, Enactus is working closely with the members of the transgender community to provide them with a chance to achieve their dreams of working in the beauty and healthcare industries.

Enactus Ramjas project named TransCreations aims at social and financial upliftment of the underprivileged members of the transgender community through the power of entrepreneurial action.

The project has successfully launched four beauty salons under the brand name 'VIBGYOR'. Project TransCreations aims at building social and financial inclusivity for the LGBTQIA++ by setting up beauty salons with entrepreneurs being members of the community themselves.

After talking to several trans people across Delhi, the Enactus team learnt that a majority were interested in working in the beauty and personal healthcare sectors and thus aligned its initiative accordingly.

The first salon under the project was started at the office of Basera NGO in Noida. Another salon was set up in the Shape India office. Soon after this, the third salon was started in the Mitra Trust office in Janakpuri. Recently, a fourth salon has been opened up in Aarohan NGO in Sultanpuri.

The salons offer wide-ranging services — from facials and massage to threading, manicures, and pedicures. The salons have provided a platform to twelve transgender people to pursue their dreams of being employed in the beauty industry.

The impact created under the project is noteworthy as the team has successfully sensitized over 6700 individuals and has imparted skills to over 200 transgender people. The salons are safe and inclusive working spaces for the community. The salons have an all-inclusive clientele and the team has received a positive response.

For the spirit of work, the project has received KPMG Business Ethics Grant and It Gets Better Global grant. The project has also been the winner of the Godrej LOUD Initiative. Further, their efforts have been recognized by the All India Queer Association (AIQA) and transgender activists like Somabha Bandopadhyay and R. Balaji as well.

However, not everything was smooth-flowing while implementing the project as the team had to face a variety of issues. People gave a mixed reaction after learning about the details of the salons. Some people were welcoming and took an ardent interest in the initiative while others showed reluctance.

It was also a challenge for the staff as customers at times were hesitant to avail the services provided by them. However, since the training received by the employees was of good quality, the services being provided were exceptional. Eventually, people came around and started appreciating the initiative. As a positive result, the salon business started to grow.

The project team wants to open a variety of many salons across the country to provide a wide range of employment opportunities. The team also hopes to set up its own 'Centre for Entrepreneurship' to impart entrepreneurial training to help trans people become capable of running and sustaining individual ventures.

The team also plans to launch a virtual platform to create a network of multiple members across the nation to access company listings from gender-inclusive corporates such as Uber, Zomato, and even TransCreations parlours for employment opportunities for the community. This will be a positive step in the direction of inclusive growth.

Change doesn't see age, race, religion, ethnicity, gender, or sexual preferences. All it needs is the passion to break stereotypes and creating solutions. Project TransCreations, demands such change, more than ever.

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