EVEN before barbershops reopened last month, citizens have been taking haircuts.

Many are now unemployed; most have been forced to cut back on the basics. Those who are not nursing themselves back to health, or grieving the loss of a loved one, are stuck at home, with little sign of relief on the horizon. Covid19 deaths are, once more, on the rise.

In this dismal situation, it is not often we get cause to take note of something hopeful.

But La Brea barber Owie Bowen, 27, has given us reason to do exactly that.

Until Sunday, Mr Bowen will be giving children aged four-12 free haircuts at his barbershop in Sobo Village. He says he's motivated to give back and to give thanks for his first year as a young entrepreneur.

'It doesn't matter how far you come from or what area of TT, you're welcome to get a free haircut,' Mr Bowen said on Thursday, noting how good a haircut makes you feel and that many parents are hustling in anticipation of the virtual resumption of school next week. 'So I said: why not help out parents too?'

The barber's generosity is not unique. The pandemic has shown the bad side of human nature, but it has also shone a light on countless acts of kindness here in TT, many of which go unsung daily.

Mr Bowen's own story is an example of that kindness. When he started barbering a year ago, a friend donated a barber chair for him to use. Other friends were among his first clients.

At a time when many have had to improvise in order to make ends meet, Mr Bowen is a reminder of the value of exercising initiative and of learning new skills. He began his journey to opening his own barbershop, called Fresh Cutz GQ, in March 2020 by watching YouTube tutorials and cutting his own hair, as well as the hair of nephews.

In the early days a few zogs ensued, but Mr Bowen was a quick study. Soon he was competent enough to open his own shop. He also painstakingly designed a logo and took steps to exploit the reach of social media in order to promote himself. At one stage, he even made face masks.

Everything he did served to raise his profile and increase his chances of attracting customers.

'I started taking before-and-after pictures of the haircuts I gave and people saw the improvement,' he said. 'I also started to get to know other barbers.'

Today, Mr Bowen is in a position to celebrate a successful year in business and to give back.

So far, he's given about a dozen free haircuts.

But the real value of what he's given us all is priceless.