24 women between the ages of 16 and 20 graduated from L’Oréal Foundation’s Beauty for a Better Life programme, class of 2019
after 12 months of training..
Now these young women are all certified hairdressers and makeup artists, and ready to make their mark in the beauty industry!
Beauty for a Better Life programme was first initiated by L’Oréal Malaysia in 2016 as a contribution towards empowering young women in the country through education. It provides them with high-quality, tuition-free training in the sectors of professional hairdressing and beauty care.
Partnering with the National Council of Women’s Organisation (NCWO) through the YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC), it help educate young Malaysian women who do not have the opportunity to access decent education and to obtain a recognized certification in the field of hairdressing and beauty. Empowered with skills, these young women are able to gain motivation and self-respect, together with the means for professional integration into their respective communities.
The graduation ceremony was graced by Guest of Honour, Yang Berhormat Puan Hannah Yeoh, Deputy Minister of Women, Family & Community Development. She remarked that the Beauty for a Better Life programme complements the ministry’s efforts to develop underprivileged women by providing vocational training opportunities to those who cannot afford it. She also highlighted as the training is tuition-free, it eradicates the barrier for young women from poor families to gain a professional skill, and more importantly a means of living through employment or starting their own service business thereafter.
YB Yeoh continued to highlight that the government cannot, or at least not on their own to provide such vocational training unless they partner with people who excel in the industry such as L’Oréal to guide and mentor young women to find their place and remain connected in the marketplace.
Zaireen Ibrahim, Corporate Communications Director of L’Oréal Malaysia emphasized that L’Oréal is a global leader on beauty with a local spirit and it wants to give help where it matters the most. “In Malaysia, we are committed to giving back to communities through our various corporate social responsibility initiatives and one of which is Beauty for a Better Life.
With this programme, our vision is to change the lives of young women by giving them the inspiration and high quality education for a career in beauty and hairdressing sector, hence helping them to earn a sustainable income for better livelihood. Since we started the programme, we have supported it by establishing the new training centre, training the trainers, providing motivation training, holding masterclasses with L’Oreal Professionnel and job matching for trainees after they graduate,” she said.
During the graduation ceremony at the YWCA Vocational Training Opportunity Centre in Kuala Lumpur, the class of 2019 graduates put their skills to practice by providing haircuts and makeup to students from SOLS 24/7 Academy of Innovation, a non-profit organization that focuses on education and empowerment of underserved communities.
They included teenagers who are going for job interviews and could do with professional hairstyling and makeup to help them look confident for the jobs they are seeking!
They included teenagers who are going for job interviews and could do with professional hairstyling and makeup to help them look confident for the jobs they are seeking!
The graduates this year included four young women from the indigenous community in Gua Musang, Kelantan. They have established outstanding performance throughout their training and three of them have already secured a job before their graduation.
For 18-year-old Amisha A/P Rudin from Gua Musang, Kelantan, receiving the Best Performance Award was a huge surprise. “I never expected to be chosen – it’s an honour for me and I’m thankful for the opportunity given by L’Oreal to pursue my dream of becoming a professional hairstylist. After completing PT3, I moved to Melaka in search of better opportunities before being introduced to the Beauty for a Better Life programme. Throughout the programme, I gained lots of experience and made many new friends. Despite our background differences, I became very close with my classmates, which is something I’ve never felt elsewhere.”
Currently interning at a beauty salon in Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur, Amisha hopes to continue working there after she graduates, and eventually in future, open her own salon in Kuala Lumpur.
Outstanding Performance Trainee Award recipient Ramapriya Ramarao, 20, from Selekoh, Perak, shared that her life has changed for the better since joining the Beauty for a Better Life programme. She loves drawing and started practicing mehendi (henna) on her sisters and mother since she was nine. Coming from a single parent family, she finished her SPM, and found out about the programme through a teacher at VTOC. Through Beauty for a Better Life, Ramapriya learned to become independent.
Having secured a job even before graduation, she said she will put her skills to good use as a beautician and henna artist, transforming her passion into her career.
Having secured a job even before graduation, she said she will put her skills to good use as a beautician and henna artist, transforming her passion into her career.
Go to www.fondationloreal.com to find out more about L’Oréal Foundation and Beauty for a Better Life programme.
About the L’Oréal Malaysia
L’Oréal has successfully developed 18 brands in Malaysia that offers the most technologically advanced products in every beauty category, for every Malaysian with over 900 employees. As market leader in the country, L’Oréal recognizes in today’s world, a company’s success is no longer simply in its economic performance, but also its ability to be a true citizen. It is our priority and commitment to reduce the impact of our activity on the planet and bolster positive socio-economic impact on the lives of people and communities in Malaysia.
In addition to “Beauty for a Better Life”, our long term philanthropic initiatives are “For Women In Science and “Citizen Day”.
In addition to “Beauty for a Better Life”, our long term philanthropic initiatives are “For Women In Science and “Citizen Day”.
About the L’Oréal Foundation
Accompany. Value. Communicate. Support. Move boundaries. The convictions, the core values which drive the L’Oréal Foundation’s commitment to women everyday. A commitment divided into two main areas - science and beauty.
Through its’ For Women in Science program, a worldwide partnership with UNESCO, the L’Oréal Foundation motivates girls in High School to pursue scientific careers, supports women researchers and rewards excellence in a field where women remain underrepresented.
Through its’ For Women in Science program, a worldwide partnership with UNESCO, the L’Oréal Foundation motivates girls in High School to pursue scientific careers, supports women researchers and rewards excellence in a field where women remain underrepresented.
Through its beauty programs, the Foundation assists women affected by illness, who are economically disadvantaged or isolated, to recover their sense of self-esteem and femininity in order to feel better and to fare better. Its’ actions also include providing training programs for beauty industry professions.
About L’Oréal
L’Oréal has devoted itself to beauty for over 108 years. With its unique portfolio of 36 international, diverse and complementary brands, the Group generated sales amounting close to 26 billion euros in 2016 and employs over 80,000 talents worldwide. As the world’s leading beauty company, L’Oréal is present across all distribution networks: mass market, department stores, pharmacies and drugstores, hair styling salons, travel retail and branded retail. L’Oréal’s new sustainability commitment for 2020 “Sharing Beauty With All” sets out ambitious sustainable development objectives across the Group’s value chain. www.loreal.com
About NCWO
Started in 1962. NCWO is the leading advocate of women’s human rights in the sustainable development and advancement of society by uniting women’s organization to respect, protect and fulfil women’s human rights, promote the development and advancement of women at all levels, advocate and monitor the full participation, inclusion and representation of women in decision-making and ensuring women have equitable access to and are equal agents and beneficiaries of development.
About VTOC
The Vocational Training Opportunity Centre (VTOC) is a project of the YWCA Kuala Lumpur. It was established in September 1998 and has grown from strength to strength to serve the needs of young women and girls from economically disadvantaged segments of Malaysian society irrespective of race, religion and cultural differences by providing them with vocational skills for employment.
A total of 1,524 young women have completed their courses since its inception. Apart from the course related subjects the integrated programme has included leadership training, knowledge in social issues, laws and legislation related to women and children and other relevant information. This has been done in order to raise awareness of their responsibilities and help them participate fully in society upon graduation so they have access to jobs and thus improving their livelihood.
A total of 1,524 young women have completed their courses since its inception. Apart from the course related subjects the integrated programme has included leadership training, knowledge in social issues, laws and legislation related to women and children and other relevant information. This has been done in order to raise awareness of their responsibilities and help them participate fully in society upon graduation so they have access to jobs and thus improving their livelihood.
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