Eurofins’ support for Plan International France goes back almost 20 years, when Christopher Reeves, one of the Eurofins Group Executive Board members at the time – and also one of the first entrepreneurs to join the network through acquisition – introduced his colleagues to the NGO’s important work to facilitate equal access to education and the job market, particularly for girls and young women.

Over the years, Eurofins has supported many of Plan International France’s projects and the NGO has been an important partner of the Eurofins Foundation since this was established in 2019.

“Eurofins has been playing a major role in supporting Plan International France since 2003,” says Anne Bideau, CEO of Plan International France. “Partnerships with the private sector, such as the Eurofins Foundation, are crucial to ensuring the continuity of the organisation’s programmes.”

Plan International France is active in 35 countries, with the Eurofins Foundation most recently having supported projects in Egypt and Benin. In Egypt, where women from disadvantaged backgrounds can struggle to access a diverse range of quality training and employment opportunities, the Tamkeen Project tackles these barriers by providing in-demand skills training in its fully equipped training centres. In parallel, it works with local authorities and businesses to raise awareness and dispel gender stereotypes. Almost 2,000 young people have received training as part of the project, and many of its graduates have already used their newfound confidence and knowledge to make their career ambitions a reality. Samah Sabri, now a qualified nurse, has shared her story:

“I was never accepted for a job because I was told I didn’t have the experience. I joined the Tamkeen Project to become a nurse. Through the project, I acquired the knowledge and skills needed to now work at the Aqab Ibn Nafi hospital, where I earn my own salary and am able to give my children what they need and take care of them.”

Over in Benin, the Eurofins Foundation also supported the AGIR pilot project in 2021, where the proportion of school graduates is still as low as 52% and 45% for boys and girls respectively in some regions. Thanks to this project, 18,000 primary school pupils in Benin have been given better access to education, by providing necessary school supplies, tricycles to commute to school, menstrual products for girls, improved training for teachers, and more. Furthermore, to tackle problems underpinning the high rate of school dropout among girls, such as gender-based violence, early marriage and pregnancy, Plan International France also conducts significant awareness-raising activities in communities and advocacy work with national and regional institutions, as these are crucial partners in effecting change.

Reflecting on the Eurofins Foundation’s longstanding support for Plan International France and its projects, Anne Bideau comments that the accomplishments of the Tamkeen and AGIR programmes are “a good example of the great success which has been made possible thanks to our joint efforts and long-lasting collaboration.” Centrally managed content