Kabul Beauty School

Rodriguez, a hairdresser from Holland, Michigan, wanted to help. Trained in disaster relief, she was sent to Afghanistan shortly after the fall of the Taliban. Kabul had a long tradition of beauty salons which managed to survive despite being outlawed by the Taliban.

Inspired by a visit to a clandestine salon which was poorly supplied and whose staff lacked training, she returned to the States and began badgering firms like Paul Mitchell for donations. Having gained generous support from the beauty industry, Rodriguez returned to Afghanistan determined to start a beauty school.

She was deluged with applicants because cosmetology offered women a means to easily convert practical training into cash. Brash by nature, she battled political setbacks, cultural differences and unreliable funding but remained inspired by the stories of her students.

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