French cosmetics company L'Oreal is partnering with the China Women's Development Foundation and the NGO Rural Women to launch a five-year project, Beauty For A Better Life, to help women from disadvantaged backgrounds.

According to their agreement, over five years, L'Oreal will give at least 5,000 women from poor rural families the opportunity to train in the beauty profession.

"The idea was initiated in 2009 when L'Oreal celebrated its centenary," says Lan Zhenzhen, vice-president of L'Oreal China.

"We want to develop a social-responsibility project. Now about 20 countries have run the program to provide disadvantaged local communities with free training in hairdressing, and beauty care — a creative and sociable profession that gives people independence and opens up a wealth of employment opportunities."

L'Oreal China started the project in 2013, working with a vocational school in Sichuan province to train young women students from low-income areas. Last year, it cooperated with the Beijing BN Vocational School.

"Vocational training is an important part of China's education system. To develop a healthy and advanced economy, we not only need young talent from colleges and universities but also people with different skills," says Huang Qingyi, director of the China Women's Development Foundation.

"We hope more companies could make efforts to show their social responsibility."

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