ISLAMABAD-A waterproof headscarf has been created which protects the hair of black and minority ethnic (BAME) people when swimming. Many individuals with afro hair avoid swimming as it can significantly damage hair and requires a painstaking aftercare procedure. Danielle Obe, a 38-year-old management consultant from London, came up with the idea for the waterproof headscarf, called Nemes, after her daughter Kayla, now six, began to dread going in the pool.
She herself had previously given up swimming for two decades because she did not want to risk damage to her hair. The mother-of-three said: ‘Getting into any type of aquatic activity then was a huge no-no.
I couldn’t go swimming in the evening after work. If I did, how would I turn up for client meetings the next morning? ‘Kayla hates getting soap in and around her face, so when it came time to wash her hair after swimming, she would scream and scream. ‘So one day I promised her we would find a solution, we would work together to create something that protected her hair.’
The pair began experimenting with different caps when swimming — doubling them up and trying out different brands.