When you buy from French Affair, you help change lives ..

Every time you make a purchase from the French Affair online shop, we'll contribute 5% to Kiva to provide micro-finance to someone in need in an under-developed French speaking country.

What is Kiva?

Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Kiva envision a world where all people, even in the most remote areas of the globe, hold the power to create opportunity for themselves and others. They believe providing safe, affordable access to capital to those in need helps people create better lives for themselves and their families.

Kiva works with microfinance institutions to provide loans to people without access to traditional banking systems. This allows low-income individuals and communities to lift themselves out of poverty by giving them access to financial services. Learn more or become a Kiva lender yourself by clicking here ..

Who have we helped so far?

Here's a summary of who we have empowered so far. For full details on the people, their dreams and the enterprises behind these loans, check out French Affair's "lender page" on the Kiva website by clicking here.

Abla Sakponou - Hédzranawoé, Togo

Abla is 47 years old and is married with one dependent child. As a retailer of cereals at the Bè Kpota local market, she is able to improve her child's standard of living. She has ten years of experience in this business and obtains her supplies at the Kpossimé Market in Lomé. She used the loan to buy five sacks of haricot beans and ten sacks of corn.

Serigne Bara Group - Senegal

The group was created in May 2010 and is composed of 17 women, all from the same village. Awa is the group leader. She's 37 years old, married, and takes care of four children, one of whom is her sister. She has been selling vegetables for over two and a half years. The loan will allow her to buy vegetables. Her goal is to be able to contribute to supporting her family, and increase her savings.

French Affair is also proud to support:

Brisbane French Festival - The largest French Festival in Australia. I was the vice president and a committee member for the 2010 and 2011 events and I'm on the organising committee for 2012 festival.

Alliance Française de Brisbane - Provided prizes for the 2010 French competition in Queensland primary and secondary schools: Le Concours de Poésie, Le Concours La Belle France and Le Concours Alain Duval.

The Epona Trust - Based in Normandie, France, The Epona Trust relieves the suffering of horses and ponies who are sick, abandoned, neglected, ill treated or just too old, and offers them a safe haven. No animal is refused. They provide board and accommodation and medical treatment for these beautiful animals. They offers a caring environment and provide permanent life long care. French Affair has sponsored "Peter", a gorgeous eight year old Breton - that's him in the picture.

French Music and Dance Company - Providing administration and marketing support as well as lucky door prizes for their various concerts and productions.

Boules Artistes Pétanque Club - Sponsor of the Kirribilli games as well as providing marketing support to encourage participation in this iconic French game.

Lycée Condorcet - International French School of Sydney - Contributed to their fundraising with raffle prizes and participation in their Christmas Markets.

Ecole Maternelle Franco-Australienne. French-Australian Preschool, Red Hill, Canberra - Contributed raffle prizes for their fundraising to re-build a permanent school on the existing site.