Hairdresser made his dream cut - a house in Broby
Several members of Loai's family are hairdressers. Loai's father is a hairdresser and he is one too. Loai has helped out as a hairdresser since he was ten years old. Soon his little brother who is 18 years old will come to Sweden. He is one of six siblings and also wants to work as a hairdresser.
– But we'll probably have to wait a year. He must learn Swedish first, says Loai and smiles.
Loai Aga has lived in Östra Göinge for four years. He has had the salon in Broby for three years. One year he had a salon in Knislinge as well. It was the hairdresser Tommy Roslund who helped him. He ran a salon for 35 years before retiring.
Now Loai Aga is investing wholeheartedly in the salon in Broby. Where customers - old and young – come pouring in for a visit.
– I've probably become quite well known in the neighbourhood here, says Loai.
He thanks the customers for his Swedish getting better.
– It's not easy, but the language gets better with time. I speak much better Swedish now than a year ago, says Loai.
The road to Sweden was difficult. He worked as a hairdresser in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) for several years until 2011. The same year the civil war started in his homeland.
Loai grew up in Hamah, a province with about 1.6 million inhabitants in western Syria. The city of Hamah had 300,000 inhabitants.
”"I have probably become quite well known in the neighbourhood here””
Just four miles south lies the city of Homs; a city that is also often mentioned for its horrors in connection with the civil war.
What do you say about the situation in Syria?
– It will take a lot of time before the people there become free. In fact, I don’t know what to think about the future. It’s completely impossible to say how it’s going to be.
Do you want to move back at any point?
– No, this is where I want to stay. I really like Östra Göinge. It’s so calm and nice here, Loai says.
He has just bought a house in Broby. A dream he has had for years.
– I feel really happy about it.
On his journey to Sweden, Loai has also worked as a hairdresser in Egypt, Lebanon and Italy. Like many other refugees, he travelled by boat from Libya to Europe.
From Italy he came to Sweden. His little brother is in Greece. He is waiting to come to Sweden.
– Maybe he can take over the salon in Knislinge. But, he must learn Swedish first, says Loai and gets ready for the next customer.
