L'Oréal: Addressing IPV: Building a Healthier, Safer, and More Equitable Future for Africa
Celeste Tema, Head of Corporate Responsibility for L’Oréal South Africa, in conversation with Jessica Mahlekisi, Corporate Responsibility Project Manager
Speakers
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Delmari Van ZylCorporate Communication & Reputation DirectorDelmari Van Zyl
Corporate Communication & Reputation Director
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Jessica MahlekisiCorporate Responsibility Project ManagerJessica Mahlekisi
Corporate Responsibility Project Manager
Jessica's career journey is a model of combining purpose with métier expertise. Her core belief? The transformative potential of partnership and coalitions between corporations & civil society. Working between 2019 & 2021 at Triple 8, a pan-African marketing agency, Jessica led for Nestlé, the award-winning WhatsApp Mathbot campaign, a creative initiative addressing South Africa's "math crisis" and its link to poverty. The program reached 7 000 families, igniting a passion for math and boosting children's skills by an impressive 47%. Concurrently, for Reckitt Benckiser, she oversaw the Connect-ED program, tackling teenage pregnancy and enhancing quality of life in underserved communities. Connect-ED provided vital education to thousands of high school students on critical topics like HIV/AIDS prevention, sexual health, and recognizing and reporting abuse. Jessica's impact continued as she joined L'Oréal South Africa in 2022, where she spearheaded three impactful cause initiatives for South Africa, reaching over 10 310 beneficiaries. These initiatives included Armani's Acqua for Life, providing clean water access; Lancôme's Write Her Future, empowering women through digital literacy; and YSL's Abuse Is Not Love, bringing awareness to and fighting domestic violence. Her participation in L'Oréal's One Young World program in 2023 further honed her purpose-driven approach, providing valuable insights into L'Oréal's sustainability roadmap, a global network, and renewed inspiration to address environmental and social challenges. In 2024, Jessica took a role in the OYW for L'Oréal Alumni Community Committee as the regional lead for SSA and leading the implementation of the first initiatives for Latin America and North America. She is now entering a new phase in her career as Partnerships and Performance Manager. Beyond her corporate work, Jessica leads DreamGirls Academy, an NGO providing mentorship & empowering under-resourced young women and girls.