A small local non-profit association, social entrepreneur, NGO fighting for women’s rights, Microfinance Institution supporting micro entrepreneurs, or artist committed to fight gender-based violence…the PPR Foundation relies on the expertise of its partners to implement concrete actions and development programs to the benefice of women.

The Foundation can either get involved into an existing program or work with its partner to design a project tailored to the needs of the beneficiaries.
The Foundation also relies on the PPR Brands and companies’ network and its employees’ skills and know-how.
Eventually, the PPR Foundation wishes to extend the scope of its action by working with other foundations, as co-funding partners or to exchange best practices.
Each partnership is covered under a formal agreement defining the mutual commitments and focussing on a final performance assessment of the project.

A mere few months after its inception, the Foundation has already entered into 19 partnership agreements with NGOs.

At its first meeting, the Board of Directors decided to back 3 large-scale projects:

• Rehabilitation of shelters for victims of spousal violence, with Médecins du Monde in Pakistan;
• Sheltering and integration program for women victims of human trafficking, run by the Cambodian NGO AFESIP;
• Training of trainers to help women war victims in Eastern Africa find gainful employment, run by the American NGO Women for Women.

At its first meeting on 10 March 2009, the Selection Committee selected 8 projects out of the 20 proposals, for a total grant amount of €165,300:

4 projects in “Northern” countries:

• Training of social workers at the Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes, providing shelter and consulting to women victims of violence in France;
• Psychological guidance for rape victims, with CAVAS in Spain;
• Development of on-line legal information tools for Latin-American women in the USA, with the Women Justice Center;
• Support to short-cycle vocational courses for Chechen women wishing to start a business, with guidance from SOFT.

In “Southern” countries, the Committee selected projects designed to empower women and strengthen their place in society via training and creation of income generating activities:

• In rural areas, with Agronomes & Vétérinaires Sans Frontières in Nicaragua;
• and with Secours Populaire Français in Mali;
• In favour of women victims of war rape in Congo, with OLAME;
• or women from lower castes in India, with Aide et Action.

At its 23 July 2009 meeting, the Selection Committee chose 8 projects out of the 21 proposals, for a total grant amount of €86,211:  

4 NGO partnerships, primarily on the African continent:

• Fight against Female Genital Mutilations (FGM) in the district of Kayes, Mali, with the NGO Equilibres & Populations;
•  Improved access to reproductive health care, and enhanced awareness of STDs and excision in Ethiopia, with the NGO Inter Aide;
• Help to a group of widows in Rwanda to develop a catering business at Kimironko, with Rwanda Avenir;
• Provide vocational training in growing trades to economically deprived women and educate them about their rights, in particular to combat spousal violence, in Brazil with Essor;
• Curb violence against women - rape, in particular - in the province of Bujumbura, Burundi, by helping women become self-reliant via training and creation of income generating activities, with the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

3 projects of development aid in favour of women’s empowerment, proposed by PPR employees (link):
- Education of female secondary school teachers in Laos, proposed by a Fnac employee jointly with the NGO Compter sur demain;
- Training for fishermen’s wives in Benin to develop activities in animal husbandry, weaving and palm oil production, proposed by a Fnac employee jointly with the NGO Eco-Bénin;
- Training of women groups in rural areas of Benin to develop produce growing and sales of processed vegetables, proposed by a CFAO employee jointly with the NGO Actions et Développement.

In addition, the PPR Corporate Foundation has extended its partnership with Planète Urgence and Coup de Pouce Humanitaire and will back 25 Solidarity Leave missions in 2009.

Last but not least, the PPR Foundation has introduced a personnel awareness module, launched with  Catherine Cabrol’s exhibit entitled Blessures de Femmes (Women’s Wounds) at PPR headquarters and in three other brands, reaching over 1000 employees so far to raise awareness on violence against women.

The PPR Foundation contributes its expertise and advises PPR brands and companies (link)on issues of solidarity commitments, and coordinates their initiatives in favour of women via a network of correspondents.