(First reported on Exssa-usa.org)

What would make a young black girl give up her long full-bodied hair, especially at this time when hair extensions have become the norm for most young black women? Ask 14 year old Nina Foyabo. Most teenage girls worry about their appearance and ways to fit in with their peers. They obsess with their body especially their hair. For most black girls having long hair is a mark of beauty promoted by the media. Well, this is not the case with Nina Foyabo who did not blink when she decided to donate her long hair to “Locks of Love” a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss. Nobody in her immediate family had done that, so her decision took even her mother, Judith Caspa Foyabo, by surprise. As Judith explains, “I thought she was joking 2 months ago when she first mentioned it. I played it down thinking it was a phase that will pass away.”

No, it was not a phase. Nina seemed to really empathize with these sick children who have experienced hair loss. After all she knows what it is to be a patient. At 6, Nina was diagnosed with myasthenia Gravis, a rare autoimmune disease which leads to muscle weakness and more. She certainly had an emotional connection to what she had decided to do because she followed through with unparalleled dedication.

Nina watched several videos on how to donate hair. The more videos she watched the more she realized that only Caucasians, Asians and Latinas were donating. This made her even more determined to donate her hair to kids like her! She followed that by downloading the instructions and the donation form. On the donation form, she made sure she did not hide the fact that she wanted to make a difference particularly for young black girls like her. She wrote:

As they say, the rest is history. Her longest donation was at 14 inches, shortest at 12.5 inches and 1.5 inches left on her head.

Nina Foyabo is clearly showing that she has been brought up to be selfless, and to know that beauty is not marked by superficial things. Her parents, Judith and Rudolf Foyabo have every reason to be extremely proud!

Nina’s hair will go a long way to make an impact on a child suffering from hair loss, but her action is sure to have an impact on any one who reads this. This is an empathetic young woman with innate confidence and beauty. Her shirt below says it all.