Mary Ann Santiago, 29, never imagined that painting nails could one day help rebuild her family’s future.
Back in her hometown of Bocaue, Bulacan, she had always been the artsy one sketching in notebooks, mixing her own nail polish colors, and giving free manicures to her friends during barangay fiestas. Her fascination with nail art started when she was just 13, watching her cousin do designs with toothpicks and colored pens. By the time she was 20, she had earned a short certificate in cosmetology and started taking clients at home.
But even with loyal customers and beautiful designs, her income was unstable. Her mother’s medicines were expensive, her younger brother dropped out of school to work odd jobs, and the bills just kept piling up.
So when a neighbor mentioned a job opening for a nail technician in Doha, Qatar, Mary Ann applied without hesitation. After passing the skills test and interviews, she signed a two year contract and left the country for the first time in her life with nothing but a suitcase, a pouch of tools, and hope.
Landing in Doha was surreal. The desert heat, the glass skyscrapers, the diverse population it was overwhelming. She was assigned to a high end nail salon in a luxury mall where the clients were mostly wealthy Qataris, expats, and social media influencers.
On her first day, Mary Ann was nervous. The salon used top-tier equipment and branded gels she had only seen online. Clients requested complicated nail art ombre styles, 3D embellishments, themed manicures. Some were particular and demanding.
But she stayed calm. With steady hands and quiet confidence, she began to win over clients with her precision and creativity. Her signature designs floral accents, marble effects, and minimalist elegance became popular. Soon, clients began asking. Where’s Mary Ann? I want her to do my nails.
Despite the polished setting, her life behind the scenes wasn’t easy. She shared a cramped apartment with four other Filipinas, worked ten hour shifts with minimal breaks, and cried silently on her birthday when her family’s video call disconnected due to poor WIFI.
Still, she reminded herself why she left: to send her brother back to school, to pay for her mother’s dialysis, and to build a better life.
After her first year, Mary Ann won Employee of the Month twice and was offered a contract renewal with higher pay. She used her savings to renovate their small house in Bulacan and enrolled in an online business course during her off hours.
Her dream? To open her own nail salon in the Philippines modern, classy, and staffed with other women who, like her, were just waiting for a chance.
Before her second contract ended, her manager said, Mary Ann, you have real talent. When you go back home, don’t waste it. Open something. Build something.
Now on her third year in Doha, Mary Ann is saving for her dream salon. She’s sketching logos, choosing furniture styles, and listing names of friends she wants to train and hire.
Because for her, being a nail technician isn’t just about glamor or polish. It’s about art, dignity, and creating beauty not only on fingertips, but in life itself.
