Avon Foundation reveals 2019 scholarship grant winners

The Global Scholarship Programme is designed to help and encourage beauty entrepreneurs and their families by providing education and personal development opportunities.

By supporting their children and grandchildren, along with the beauty brand owners, marketers and creators themselves, the Avon Foundation for Women has established almost 200 scholarships.

Run by Avon Products, a globally recognised leader in direct selling of beauty products, this year’s fundraising has seen the programme’s achievements double from $200,000 (£177,000) to over $400,000 (€354,000).

 Empowerment and Education​

The Global Scholarship Programme forms part of Avon’s international stand4her initiative, which strives to improve the lives of 100 million women living around the world.

The stand4her plan was born as a result of Avon-commissioned research, with support from Oxford Economics, which explores and aims to overcome challenges experienced by women and enable opportunities available to them.

As part of the stand4her plan, each person receives a scholarship grant of $2,100 (€1,859), which can be used to contribute towards tuition, school fees, accommodation, books and/ or transportation.

Since its inception in 2012, The Global Scholarship Programme has funded more than 425 scholarships totalling over $900,000 (€797,000). Overall, the programme has created nearly $1.5 million (€1.3 mn) worth of financial support for over 600 Avon Representatives and their families to help with education and training in their chosen professions.

Learning opportunities through academic institutions form part of the scholarship initiative. The education, training and development on offer complements Avon’s wider academy training programmes. Women have access to information and teaching on an array of various modules including skin care science, make-up trends, online marketing approaches and sales techniques.

Scholarship Aims and Winners​

Benedetta Giampietri, an Avon Representative from Italy who will be studying for a Master's Degree, and Fernanda Silveira from Brazil are two of this year’s scholarship winners.

"My mother has been an Avon Representative for many years, she raised my brother and I and used her Avon income to help invest in our education. This is a wonderful initiative for women - particularly in countries like Brazil where we have little investment in education - to grow and build a better world,"​ Fernanda Silveira commented upon receiving her award.

"Avon is built on a long legacy of investing in opportunities for women to earn and learn. 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,” ​Amy Greene, Chair of the Avon Foundation confirmed.

Avon seeks to provide innovative and quality beauty products to a primarily female-based audience. In doing so, the company strives to support women's empowerment, entrepreneurship and wellbeing. To support this mission, in 2018, Avon donated over $1 billion (€885 mn) to women's causes through Avon and the Avon Foundation in over 50 countries.

“The Avon Foundation is proud that we can support Avon Representatives and their families with access to education, new skills and networks that power their ability to succeed​,” Greene continued.

Worldwide Charitable Efforts​

The Avon Foundation for Women is dedicated to charitable, scientific, educational, and humanitarian activities and programmes that improve the lives of women and their families.  

Avon has launched several global cause programmes centring on breast health awareness and prevention through the Avon Breast Cancer Promise​, and to help end violence through the Avon Promise to Help End Violence Against Women and Girls​.