We at beijingkids wanted to make this issue artistic and a bit romantic, so we decided to indulge a couple of parents. Shelby and Stephen Gleadow, who both hail from the US but have lived in Beijing for over 10 years, were ready to spend a day relaxing together. Shelby is an ESL teacher, and Stephen is an artist and designer. The couple had their second baby seven months ago, but Shelby wanted to give her hair some oomph, and while on holiday she had a perm which had gone wrong.

This is where Blow+Bar comes in. Blow+Bar not only make people’s hair look pretty, they also are great at reversing mistakes you might make with your hair. We gathered at the Shunyi location to spend the whole day in the safe hands of Angie and Andy. Shelby needed many treatments to make her hair straight and supple again, but she was very glad and surprised when she felt her hair was back to being her “own” style again. She had a small amount of haircut but kept the length the same. Then Andy added some very subtle highlights. Blow+Bar made sure that Shelby could still pull her hair up into a bun and that it was low maintenance, something a mother of two young boys needs.

Stephen opted to have his hair and beard cut and dyed blue. With the amount of time he had to wait on his wife, there was an opportunity to do something dramatic. Plus with his artistic and design work, it was only fitting that he was made over in an “artistic” way. We were happy to see that the blue hair made him not blue, but instead look very hip and young.

To glam up Shelby even more, we chose Starfish Project jewelry. Starfish Project provides vocational training, healthcare, and shelter to women escaping human trafficking and exploitation in Asia. The women create jewelry and become managers, accountants, graphic designers, and photographers. We were lucky to be able to have a first peek at their new line of jewelry. Shelby fell in love with the tassel earrings, and we equally thought they were showstoppers.

To top off her romantic look, we asked the help of Malinda, who owns a small boutique in Sanlitun called 3M&K. She sells well-known international brands to compliment her own range of silk cashmere cover-ups. The first top is a Chelsea & Theodore, and the floaty, all-silk dress is a Matthew Williamson. Malinda is a star at finding outfits for any kind of figure and style.

Photos: the Beijinger, Uni You, Pixabay
See the magazine version of this article (p14-15) in beijingkids February 2018 issue for the whole makeover part.

Last Saturday, a charity party took place took place to celebrate three years of clothing auctions in Beijing. I have spoken about clothing auctions before and this movement has taken over the female international community in Beijing. If you have not attended a clothes auction yet you are missing out.

Around 50 women came together in Hotel EAST in Lido to raise money for the Starfish Project, a nonprofit organization that helps women in need. Clothes auctions have been sponsored by Cheers for a whole year and this party was no exemption, Hotel EAST gracefully sponsored us with a perfect venue in the bar private area. We had two amazing photographers, Lalita Khametova and Yiman Lau, who captured the many moments of laughter. We raised over RMB 6,000 during the auction.

Slow and Ethical Fashion
Reusing and repurposing clothing is best for Earth. We try to empty our closets of things we don’t need and find new homes for them instead of buying new. Every piece matters and manufacturing clothing is bad for Mother Nature. So we should do our bit by reusing and re-loving.

Charity
The host of clothes auctions usually picks a charity and we donate all the proceeds to this cause. This part for me is important as I am yet in a position to give my actual money to charity. However, buying myself a new wardrobe and donating my clothes is something I can do. Although this seems little, all the auctions in Beijing have added up to a total over RMB 70,000 over three years.

Community
Being an expat is hard, but clothes auctions bring women together. I have met many unlikely friends at auctions and have laughed so much. Sharing a night together while shopping and having wine and nibbles is the grandest way to make new girlfriends. In over three years, more than 300 women have been connected in Beijing by various clothes auctions.

Photos: Lalita Khametova and Yiman Lau

When I’m not changing a slew of endless diapers on a string of sleepless nights I occasionally get the pleasure of planning and leading delegations of community and business leaders on learning trips to places like Cambodia, Vietnam, and India with the Foundation for Global Leadership (FGL). Simply put, FGL introduces people of capacity to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and encourages them to get involved with their time, talent, and/or treasure.

One critical task is vetting the NGOs that FGL works with to ensure they are well-run, productive, and relevant to the interests of donors. Despite good intentions, many NGOs lack sufficient oversight, transparency, or even business acumen when it comes to managing funds. This is especially true in China.

My professional experience with FGL has impacted the way I give my time or donations to local NGOs. I now try to learn about how an organization is run, who does the work, and who the benefactors are.

A simple example would be donating to an orphanage. Who is running the orphanage? How are they funded? Is there government oversight or third party audits of the financial records? If I make a cash donation, where does the money go; to the director’s salary or to food, clothes, and educational toys/supplies for the children? These are the kinds of things I would want to know.

Two NGOs in Beijing that meet my personal standards for excellence are the Starfish Project and Roundabout. You can learn more about each by clicking the links. If your interests are more globally-minded, you would be hard pressed to find a better run outfit than Friends International. This NGO helps street kids get out of poverty by providing them with job training and education so they can find work and become productive members of society.

 Photo courtesy of katerha (Flickr)

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and for many that means purchasing gifts for the ones they love. This year, instead of a bouquet of flowers or a box of chocolate, why not get your loved one a few pieces of jewelry from the Starfish Project.

The Starfish Project was established in 2006 to empower exploited women in Asia. The Project has developed a socially responsible jewelry business in order to provide women with alternative employment and a range of holistic care opportunities. The Starfish Project also provides opportunities for women to heal and grow through counseling, vocational training, language acquisition, family education benefits and health care access, as well as providing housing in a women’s shelter.

Now it is easier than ever for you to purchase the beautiful jewelry that helps transform the lives of these women by visiting the Starfish Project website where you can shop online, make a donation, even organize a jewelry party, and learn more about this extremely effective social enterprise that is truly making a difference in the lives of the women who participate in the Project.

To learn more, please visit www.starfish-project.com

Photo by Flickr user: atmtx