L’Oreal Malaysia launches a training programme to help empower disadvantaged young women, writes Sushma Veera
WITH a strong belief in the power of beauty and education, L’Oreal Malaysia recently launched its first Beauty For A Better Life programme to provide disadvantaged young women with professional hairdressing and make-up training.
The programme, conducted by highly qualified beauty professionals with endorsement by the Education Ministry, was in partnership with the National Council of Women’s Organisation (NCWO) through its affiliate YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre, with the support of the L’Oreal Foundation.
The aim is to educate young women with no access to education towards a recognised hairdressing certification course.
According to the Malaysian Hair Dressing Association, the hair dressing business is estimated to be worth RM10 billion. It is a dynamic industry with many employment opportunities. A good hair stylist is regarded as a valuable asset.
L’Oreal Malaysia’s managing director Malek Bekdache says the programme was founded in 2009 with two simple beliefs: That education is the freedom to choose and build one’s own future, and, that the beauty profession positively impacts motivation and self-confidence.
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The first group of trainees, made up of 12 students, began their six months’ training on June 20.
These students are among the Beauty For A Better Life community comprising 2,700 beneficiaries trained last year in more than 20 countries, from Latin America to Asia, and from Europe to the Middle East.
“The skills training programme empowers women by building capabilities in them and enabling them to be independent, in addition to improving the lives of their families and communities,” says Omna Sreeni-Ong, honorary secretary general of NCWO.
June Yeoh, chairwoman of YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre says L’Oreal Malaysia has also renovated and furnished a new hairdressing studio and has provided additional training to enhance its curriculum.
“This can ensure that they achieve a level of professionalism needed to secure good jobs when they complete their course.
“This is just the beginning. The programme aims to train 300 in the next five years. Our vision is to change the lives of these young women by offering the best quality professional beauty course. We don’t stop at providing these girls with an education, we want to help them gain employment in the beauty industry,” says L’Oreal Malaysia corporate communications director Jean Loh.