NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                   24 May 2001

MAJA GREWE SETS THE PACE IN BEAUTY THERAPY EDUCATION

International Academy of Health and Skin Care founder and Principal, Maja Grewe, is celebrating the tenth anniversary of this unusual institution by launching a new bursary scheme for underprivileged students.

Under her leadership, the academy has recently begun a concerted drive to seek bursary funding from the corporate sector. These bursaries - covering the cost of tuition, materials and accommodation in the Academy’s secure hostel - will be specifically earmarked to assist promising students from previously disadvantaged communities to get a foot into the beauty and skincare industry.

The Academy is accredited by the Department of Education and enjoys a widespread reputation for excellence. Now boasting a 200-strong high-energy student body, the promise of internationally recognised full time diploma training attracts students - predominantly women - from across South Africa and abroad.

“I think that it makes a great deal of sense to do whatever is necessary to ensure that we empower talented students from these communities and who have something to offer, but who might otherwise have been lost to the industry,” said Ms Grewe.

Maja’s success with the Academy lies in keeping classes small so that students receive individual attention, with the accent on skills development through practical work and easy in-depth access to the latest information and technologies.

“Then we imbue students with a strong entrepreneurial vision, throw in a little beauty therapy magic for good measure and watch them go out and carve great careers around the world,” said Ms Grew.

Typically, graduate students rapidly move on to either open their own salons or to work in such diverse areas as health centres, cosmetic houses, health farms and hydros or spas, on luxury passenger liners, in pharmacies and departments stores or even in large hotels and as in-flight therapists on major airlines.

Maja Grewe has recently been appointed to the organising committee of the SAAHSP Annual National Convention, which takes place at the Grand West Casino on 12/13 August this year.