Combining barbering and music as business …the story of Elizabeth Amponsah

Young Elizabeth Amponsah was ambitious while in secondary school but had to reconsider her options because her plans took a different turn.

She had to quit Adonten Senior High School in her final year in 2009 due to financial constraints. Her effort to attend remedial school was also challenged as she lacked the needed financial and family support to see it through.

In order not to waste her talent, she decided to venture into barbering to survive. With years of practice and consistency, she has mastered the craft and continues to attract patrons who admire and encourage her to keep doing what she does best.

Background

Elizabeth hails from Boti in the Yilo Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region Eastern. Her father is a retired public servant; her mother a petty trader. She had basic education at Boti Roman Catholic School before entering Adonten Senior Secondary School, at Aburi.

“Dropping out of school was unfortunate because I really loved to be in school and I actively took part in a lot of activities.

“When I was in school, I was able to use the blade and the barbering machine to shave my seniors and juniors and I used to do braids for other colleagues as well,” the 29-year-old told The Spectator, recounting how she found herself in a male dominated profession.

Having learnt the rudiments of barbering in school, she relocated to Koforidua to polish her skill under the apprenticeship of a male barber, without her family knowing about it.

“The barber was impressed that I was the first female to approach him so he taught me everything I was supposed to know and in three months I was perfect using the machine and people started noticing me,” she recalled.

Starting off at this barber’s shop, Elizabeth’s honesty and hardwork eventually paid off when the owner of the shop handed it over to her to operate on full-time basis. Pregnancy, however, set in after she had worked for two and half years.

“I had to quit the job to take care of my child but I soon had another job offer when my baby was five months old. I had no choice but to move to Accra,” she said.

Life in Accra was not as easy as she thought yet she managed to start working at a barber’s shop at Kwabenya and later a mini spa at Ashongman where she was offered free accommodation.

“I learnt a lot while working here though the income was not enough. I learnt how to do dreadlocks, pedicure, body massage, among others.

“After working for a while, I moved to Osu to look for other opportunities, until I found Classic Barbering Shop where I have been working for the past one and half years,” she said.

Experience

Elizabeth says she receives lots of compliment from individuals and prominent figures who come for grooming at the shop.

She uses her social media Instagram page to highlight her works and says the positive feedback from clients encourages her to keep doing more.

The industrious female barber who has passion for music, mentions musician Fameye, Jupiter, Guru and Ras Kuuku as some of the top artistes who continue to patronise her barbering and grooming services.

As a female in a male dominated profession, she has admitted the “unfriendly advances” of some male clients but says she often tries to maintain a “professional distance” at all times.

“This job gives me lots of exposure and I often meet single men and married men and some try to sway me with money but I have advised myself not to fall victim again,” she said.

She noted her family now accepts what she does and are willing to provide the needed support as she aims to establish her own multipurpose grooming shop in future.

Music

Elizabeth looks forward to combining barbering and music as a lifetime business, tour the world with her music and train other young girls when she is fully established.  

She has a soft spot for Dancehall Artiste, Shatta Wale, and says she would provide free grooming services for him when the opportunity comes.

The budding musician said she had started singing and recording highlife music but had to abandon it after battling a life-threatening illness. Nonetheless, she still wants to collaborate with other musicians to release a hit album or single and also own a recording studio in future.

Elizabeth has seven other siblings and is a member of the Assemblies of God Church. Using her life as an example, she encourages teenage mothers to live responsible lives, take good advice from elders, pursue their ambition and never be discouraged in life.

“You still have life and opportunity to do something even if you drop out of school or give birth at a young age. I gave birth early but I did not give up,” she said.

By Ernest Nutsugah & Priscilla Efriyie Ankapong