I first discovered the art of shaving in Yaoundé, learning from my big brother, Uncle Kum, during the holidays. Every visit to the village was a chance to open my own spot and refine my skills. I would eagerly return to Yaoundé each holiday, not just to perfect my craft, but also to save up for school a dream that burned brightly in my heart.
Life took me to Wum when my father joined the wader force and our family relocated. Even as I continued my education, I opened a salon in Wum. Then, as the crisis deepened, my father sent me to Nigeria, where I gained invaluable life experiences. Returning to Cameroon, I stayed in Wum, working hard to raise funds from my salon a venture I eventually entrusted to one of my apprentices.
With some savings in hand, I agreed with my parents to move to Yaoundé so I could start university after a year at home. Although my uncle had long left the barbing business, I knew I needed to open my own salon to support myself during my studies. I brought along the young talent I had nurtured in Wum, inviting him to Yaoundé so we could build our dreams together. In a small room that served both as our living space and part of our salon, we faced the challenges of life head-on.
I pursued higher education at the University of Yaoundé 1 and graduated with a degree in History. Yet, life continued to throw curveballs. My apprentice, who had become like a brother, saved enough to start his own place, and watching him leave was one of the hardest moments of my journey. At that time, my salon was not just my livelihood it was home to three dedicated women hairdressers. When I had to close the salon due to high rent, their disappointment cut deeply, and I was forced to seek new means to survive.
Desperation led me to rent a modest room and purchase a bike, which turned me into an okada (motorbike taxi) rider. Despite the disapproval of friends and the heartbreak of my parents my mother lost many nights of sleep, and my father pleaded with me to stop I had to keep moving forward. I eventually sold the bike, using the funds to enroll in Cisco networking classes at PEITEB, hoping to shift from History to Technology.
However, living in Yaoundé without a steady income forced me to pause my studies once again. With mounting challenges, including my father’s transfer to Edéa’s principal prison, I moved back to the family home in Edea. There, with my limited savings, I ventured into a small poultry business. When that didn’t work out, I made the difficult decision to move to Douala, taking a job as a hairstylist in hopes of rebuilding my life.
In Douala, I even turned to forex trading, selling a ladies’ bike with dreams of financial recovery. Instead, forex drained all my money, and I battled with severe health issues during what became the darkest period of my life. I applied to numerous barbing salons, and eventually, the calls started coming. Yet, the steady 9-to-5 job was grueling there were days I couldn’t afford a meal, and I struggled in silence,It was in the depths of this hunger and hardship that I conceived Cutting for Change. I vowed to create a legacy that would uplift not just me, but to everyone. I chose the name ALang a tribute to my father to symbolize strength, perseverance, and hope for a brighter future.

This is my story of struggle and survival a journey that transformed adversity into the driving force behind a movement for change. I invite you to join me in this mission, as together, we can create lasting impact, one cut at a time.