'Beauty salon bin dey help us hide our sorrows'

Beginning Monday 24 July, women for Afghanistan no go fit go salon to make demsef beautiful as Taliban don ban any kain salon waka for women for di kontri.

As di day of di ban dey near, BBC speak wit three women about wetin dem go miss pass afta di ban begin.

"I bin no dey allowed to leave house on my own, but I manage convince my husband to allow me go beauty salon two or three times a year."

Small gist wit her hair dresser dey enough to ginger 23-year-old Zarmina – make her moral high and feel free for society wey no send women and wey dey seriously oppress dem.

She marry wen she dey 16 years. Although she manage finish secondary school, her husband family no allow her go university.

Na di waka to her salon dey ginger her life, but now Taliban don give order make dem close all salon for di kontri by 24 July.

Tears full everybody eyes

Na wen she go visit her salon last month, as Zarmina dey put brown dye for hair, na im di sad tori break say Taliban don close salon.

"Di owner shock no be small, she begin cry. Na she dey make money for her family," di mama of two pikin tok.

Na about 60,000 women for different part of Afghanistan dey do salon work.

"I bin no even fit look di mirror as dem dey do my eyebrow. Tears full everybody eye. Nobody say pim."

Zarmina and one of her neighbour bin dey follow go di salon togeda and she don also become friends wit one of di workers.

"Before, women bin dey tok about how dem fit influence dia husband. Some bin dey tok about tins wey dey worry dem."

But palava for di economy begin worry afta Taliban take over for August 2021.

"Now, na only work mata women dey tok about, plus injustice wey women dey face and poverty."

Zarmina dey live for Kandahar south of Afghanistan, di headquarter of di Taliban, wia dia supreme leader dey live.

She say e dey common dia for men to ban dia daughters make dem no wear make-up or go salon.

"Most women dey wear burka – cover dia face plus wear hijab - wen dem come outside for here. We don accept am as part of our culture."

Her husband lose beta work wey im bin dey do two years ago, now im dey work for anoda city. Zarmina sef dey make her own money by teaching small pikin dem.

As she bin dey waka go house dat June, na so she bin dey turn look di salon unto say soon, she no go see am again and say she go loose di small freedom wey she bin get.

"Na me bin dey pay for mysef for di salon and e bin give me strength and power. I get money but I no feel spend am on mysef for salon. Di tin dey make me feel say I poor."

Grace and beauty

Madina na 22-year-old woman wey dey live for Kabul, she sidon for house but she dey follow di latest fashion for internet.

"Every woman dey like improve her style. I love di latest fashion and to wear make-up."

She say going to salon bin help her marriage dey fresh.

"My husband bin dey really love to see my hair in different colours and cut am into different styles.

"Im dey always carry me go salon and na so im go dey for door dey wait patiently," she dey proud as she dey tok.

"Im dey complement my looks wen I waka come out and e dey make me feel good."

Her dream before na to become lawyer but Taliban no allow women go University again. Since den, she bin no fit find work as dem also ban woman from many different kain work.

Madina dey cover her hair wit scarf wen she comot from house. Na only her husband and oda women for her family fit see her coloured hair.

She remember wen women bin get freedom before Taliban cary dia wahala come.

As small pikin, Madina remember how she bin dey follow her mama go salon. She also remember women bin dey share tori of dia life no shaking.

"Now women wey dey work for salon no dey wear skirts or jeans again, now na hijab all of dem dey wear hijabs."

And fear dey everywia.

"nobody sabi who be Taliban supporter and nobody wan tok anytin about politics."

Before, dem dey allow groom watch as im wife to be dey ready for wedding. Madina even remember some men bin dey take foto inside di salon. Now, dem don ban am.

But at least, Madina get some beta happy memories of her 'big day' wey she fit cherish.

"I bin go salon do full bridal make-up before my wedding last year," she tok.

"Wen I look myself for mirror, I fine no be small. E transform me. I bin no fit describe how e make me happy."

Secret therapy

For 27-year-old Somaya wey from di city of Mazar-i-Sharif, salon dey necessary.

Three years ago, her face burn afta di heater for her room explode, and since den she no get eyebrows and eyelashes.

"I bin no fit look my face, I ugly," she dey emotional as she dey tok.

"I bin tink say everybody dey look me, dey laff me sake of my eyebrow don waka. For some months I no gree leave house. Dat time I cry sotey."

Medicine treat her wound, salon help ginger her moral.

"I go salon do microblading (na semi-permanent form of cosmetic tattoo). E make be look beta," she tok.

"Wen I look my eyebrows, I go begin cry. Dem be tears of joy. Na salon give me my life back."

Afta Taliban take over power, many salons for her area close down.

All di fine fine posters wey advertise dem disappear as Taliban forbid women make dem no show dia face again. Dem must wia burka wey be say na only dia eyes pesin fit see.

Somaya get master degree for psychology and she dey work as mental health counsellor.

Di number of women wey dey come consult wit her don increase since Taliban begin sama all im different different restrictions.

She no be di only woman wey dey use salon for 'therapy'.

Inside dis kontri wey war don scata, many women carry scar and wound for face and dem no get money to do plastic surgery.

"For us, salon no be just wia we dey go do make up. E bin dey also help us hide our sorrow. E bin give us energy and hope."

(We change all dia names)