Avon doubles scholarship program for young women

Beauty giant Avon is championing education for youngsters this year by funding almost 200 scholarships.

The brand's Avon Foundation has doubled the funding for its ‘Global Scholarship Programme', which aims to facilitate educational opportunities for its beauty representatives and their children and grandchildren, boosting the amount it invests from $200,000 to over $400,000.

The program, which was launched in 2012, gives participants the chance to benefit from scholarships in 25 different countries. Recipients receive a scholarship grant of $2,100 that can be used to fund anything from tuition fees to accommodation costs, books, or transportation. The initiative has provided nearly $1.5 million in financial support since its debut.

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"Avon is built on a long legacy of investing in opportunities for women to earn and learn," said Amy Greene, Chair of the Avon Foundation, in a statement. "We support millions of beauty entrepreneurs to run their own businesses, in their own way and on their own terms and we understand the pivotal role of education, skills development and training in fueling a ripple effect. Opening up opportunities for women create benefits not just for her but also for her family, her community and ultimately the world we all live in."

The move is part of Avon's new 'stand4her' campaign, which was launched in March in a bid to tackle some of the barriers that hold women back from achieving their full potential. The campaign, which aims to improve the lives of 100 million women every year for the next decade, is based on a 10-year plan that includes an 'Avon Academy' for professional development, and an 'Avon Fair for Her Programme,' set on improving working conditions for approximately 250,000 women across Avon's supply chain.