CONVERSATION WITH JOZY: SANDRA KIRENGA - GIVING BACK DOESN'T HAVE TO BE MONETARY

Championing and supporting good causes in the community is at the forefront of what I do so I was honored to chat to Sandra Kirenga a married NGO worker from Kampala, Uganda about her decision to donate her long hair to the charity Locks of Love. This charity provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

Sandra learnt about this charity by accident while doing some research on the internet and she was touched by the stories of people suffering from hair loss including children. She learnt that in some cases these people relied on hair donations to make wigs as a solution. The more Sandra researched about hair loss charities the more she was adamant that she wanted to help and so decided to cut off her own 14 inches long hair to donate.

 

“The decision wasn’t taken lightly. It was really something I wanted to do and I believe that it was God guiding me”. A little voice in my head kept telling me to donate it so I knew it was God. “It feels fantastic though and I cannot stress enough how much this means me. There are not many girls that would get all their hair cut off but it’s for a good cause".

 

"I spoke to my regular hairdresser and stylist and made the all-important appointment. She thought I was mad". 

On Monday, January 13 at the Kamikazi Salon in the Kamwokya area of Kampala, with no friends to talk her out of it, panic set in as she was about to undergo her transformation.  Sandra said: “I got  a little bit nervous in that chair at the salon but I kept reminding myself why I was doing it. I asked the stylist to get on with it".

 

After the cut Sandra promptly sent off her locks to the Locks of Love charity in the US and has never been happier. " Doing this has brought me tremendous joy especially from knowing that I have helped someone in need. Giving back doesn’t have to be monetary because it’s the little things some times that make a huge difference in people’s lives, she said.

Sandra’s Tips on How You Too Can Donate Your Tresses

 

If you have long hair, you can help such charities by donating your hair to make a wig. It's a wonderful deed with the potential to change someone's life for the better.

 

Research: Look up Charities that make wigs for people with cancer, Alopecia, etc. Find one that you like and know the requirements for a hair donation. Most Charities accept donations of 8 inches or more. 

 

Preparation: Make sure your hair is not chemically damaged i.e dyed repeatedly, dead or split ends, dirty, and is at least 8-12 inches long (depending on the Charity). Check if they will accept  coloured and Grey hair.

Paper Work: Request a form from your chosen Charity or get the form online. Fill out the form to accompany your donation can do so anonymously if you wish.

 

Getting it Cut: Tell the hair salon is going to be donated so they first measure your hair to make sure it's the required length, put your dry hair in a loose ponytail or two braids. Cut hair right above the ponytail making sure it does not touch the floor. Finally, place it in an air-tight plastic bag ready for shipping.
 

 

Send Hair: Mail to your chosen Charity via the post office or DHL using a padded envelope adding correct address and postage stamp. 

 

Spread the word. The charities rely on hair donations to help hair loss victims. Tell your friends about it and let them know how easy the process was and how good it feels to help. You will be happy that you helped a cause.

Who knows, maybe I will regrow it to help again next year”.

 

Sandra is enjoying her new hair and isn't she beautiful? 

To learn more about the Locks of Love charity go to http://locksoflove.org/