–help other young women become self-reliant

By Naomi Marshall
AWARD-winning cosmetologist and fashion designer, Setra Oselmo, is on a mission to give back to her community by empowering young women in the mining town of Linden.For more than a week, Setra, through her Sister to Sister’s Beauty Shop and Cake Face, has been funding and facilitating the “Guyanese Girls Glow Workshop” with the aim of enhancing the image young women have of themselves, while equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed for make-up artistry, jewellery-making, sewing and skincare.

These techniques are incorporated in the teaching of self-care, self-awareness and self-reliance while simultaneously building a foundation for a beneficial source of income. The workshop is a partnership of Oselmo and 18-year-old Arian Dahlia Richmond, of Georgetown, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cake Face by Dahlia, a make-up company.

The workshop kicked off in Linden two  Wednesdays ago with 25 young ladies from Linden, who were randomly chosen by Oselmo. It began with the empowerment session, where the girls got to interact with each other, learn about their strengths and weaknesses, and how to have self-confidence and control their anger.

This was followed by the make-up artistry session, where the girls did not only get to learn make-up techniques, but were also taught that although make-up adds extra confidence, they must also be self-aware and love themselves before using make-up.“Only when you love yourself anybody else can love you,” Oselmo told the Guyana Chronicle during an interview.

The make-up session will come to an end on Tuesday, August 29, giving way to the jewellery-making session scheduled to start the following day at the Pandama Wine Retreat.

The arts and craft session, meanwhile, is awaiting products and materials to commence.“I really want to encourage girls to love themselves; to treat themselves properly first,” Setra said, adding:“Don’t wait on no one [sic] to treat you the way you want to be treated; own your own power, because when you do that, you automatically define who you are, and confidence will show as soon as someone sees you. Love yourself and help your peers.”

In October 2007, Setra was involved in a vehicular accident which left her permanently paralysed. Today, after several attempts at corrective surgery, she is heavily reliant on a wheelchair to get around, but she does not let this get her down. Approximately three years after the accident, she successfully completed a cosmetology programme.

It was that decision that transformed Setra’s life completely, and now she is the most sought-after make-up artist in Linden; a budding fashion designer; the recipient of many awards, and a mentor to many, including those that are differently abled.