Dear John,

There’s no doubt about it, a good haircut can completely lift your mood. And in Bidibidi, Uganda – one of the world’s largest settlement camps – eight single mothers have come together to open a salon where they not only offer amazing hairstyles, but friendship too.

All eight women are from neighbouring South Sudan, a country in the grip of civil war and famine. Traditionally, South Sudanese communities are very close, with tight networks of families, clans and villages supporting each other. But after fleeing their homes, many people lose their communities while seeking safety. The surroundings of a refugee camp can be particularly isolating for young women and new mothers, which has triggered a rise in suicides.

For the women who run it, the salon is more than just a way to earn money – it’s a place to build a community and find friendship.

“It’s difficult for women to talk and tell stories,” says Sarah Aba, who is something of a mother to the group. “In the salon, when something is wrong we can tell, and so we ask, we talk and together we find answers.”

Here are just some of the amazing hairstyles that owners like to wear – acting as the perfect adverts for their business. Click on your favourite style to read more about Giles Duley's photographs and interviews with the refugee women in Bidibidi, Uganda.