FrançaisChat/MSN Charity Events
26th February at 6 pm, Mélissa Theuriau was with us to speak about her involvement in The Marie Claire Rose. The objective of this event, which takes place between 5-11 March, is to collect money for the schooling of underpriveleged girls in France and throughout the world by selling roses. One hour of discussion between the journalist and very enthusiastic young web surfers...
Why is she a figurehead for this event?
Mélissa: Hello everyone!
Matthieu: Why have you chosen to be involved with The Marie Claire Rose?
Mélissa: I committed myself without any hesitation to this cause because access to schooling is a fundamental right. Education gives the only chance to have ambitions for the future. Access to education permits people to break the spiral of poverty, to develop the critical faculties of these young girls who thus become less prone to manipulation.
Matthieu: What is your role in this event?
Mélissa: I have accepted to be a figurehead along with other journalists to support The Marie Claire Rose initiative.
Matthieu: It's a magnificent idea that you are supporting.
Electronica: Will you be travelling to the countries assisted?
Melissa: I would like to go to Cambodia as quickly as possible. I have already been there and seen the awful contrast between the wealth of the minority and the exteme poverty of the people.
Gilles: How important is education in your professional success?
Melissa: Access to education in our country is a great chance. My other advantage is the help of my parents and their encouragement in leaving me free to make my own choices. To be free to choose a profession and to study for a diploma: that's the chance we have here in France.
What is the objective of The Marie Claire Rose?
Electronica: What is the objective of The Marie Claire Rose? And which countires are involved?
Melissa: The money collected through the sale of roses will help 3 established charities: the schooling of young Cambodian girls, principal victims of poverty and thus deprived of education. The second is the renovation of schools in Senegal. Unicef is at the origin of this programme. Finally the third is important as it is near. It consists of helping young French girls living below the poverty line to study.
Gilles: Are many people in France involved?
Melissa: The Rose allowed us to help 21 young French girls last year. They obtained scholarships to continue thier studies through the charity One look, one child (Un regard, un enfant). Let's hope that this year will permit us to help many others.
Electronica: It seems surprising that so much effort only helps around 20 girls.
Melissa: The event is only one year old. In addition to the hundreds of girls helped with education in Cambodia, around 20 students have obtained scholarships in France. Of course, it's not enough. It's up to us to to buy lots of roses so that the charity One look, one child can help many others!
Nasc: Why doesn't your project help boys as well?
Melissa: Of course the project involves schooling of all children but in many poor countries, young girls are the principal victims of marginalisation. When a family can send a child to school, the boy is sent as a girl represents a waste of time and money as she helps in the home. Even worse she can be sold to other rich families or prostitution networks.
Matthieu: Do we need to create more schools for these children?
Melissa: Obviously we should build more schools. We hope that this year will collect three times more money to accelerate the building works and the training of teachers.
Matthieu: How long has this charity existed?
Melissa: The event is in its second year.
And how can we participate directly?
Nasc: Why a rose?
Melissa: The symbol of the Rose, the 8th of March, for Women's day seems appropriate for gentleness and womanhood in general. In addition the idea of buying a flower to help young girls is both effective and attractive.
Matthieu: So buying a rose is a nice present and a useful act.
Nasc: It's true that a flower is a symbol of love.
Laurent: And, financially, how much money goes to the charity for each rose bought?
Melissa: Half and that's a lot. 1.5 euros out of the price of 3 euros will go directly to the charities.
Electronica: Where can we buy theses roses?
Melissa: You can find the Rose at all florists between 5-11 March.
How is the money used?
Laurent: Do you fear that the money is not used in a proper way?
Melissa: The three organisations in the project: Unicef, Everyone to school (Toutes à l'école) and One look, one child (Un regard, un enfant), have all proved their worth. And the money collected goes directly to the cause without any intermediary.
Nasc: How much was collected last year?
Melissa: The Marie Claire Rose collected 155 000 euros last year. 90 young girls aged 6 to 10 years go to school in Cambodia thanks to this money and will be helped until they get their first job.
Nasc: Who monitors the help?
Melissa: The girls are taught by teachers trained thanks to the project. The money collected is also used to train teachers as, due to the Khmer Rouge massacres, there are too few in this country.
Laurent: Is there western help in training the teachers?
Melissa: There are both Khmer and French teachers, as well as a bursar, headmistress, supervisor, caretaker and two cooks.
Nasc: So this project's objective is to improve education in these countries?
Melissa: Yes and the school also gives medical attention to the girls.
Alex Jia Fung: Apparently Phnom Penh has benefitted from this project. Are you going to extend it to the provinces of Cambodia?
Melissa: Yes, yes, yes and the more money collected, the more we can open schools in the Cambodian provinces!
Matthieu: How many pupils in each class?
Melissa: Around 20 per class.
Melissa Theuriau and her involvement
Alex Jia Fung: Are you committed to other charities?
Melissa: I have supported Action against Hunger (Action Contre la Faim) for many years, the charity Dreams (Rêves) which helps very ill children in hospital to live their dream and also Reporters without frontiers (Reporters sans frontières) to speak for journalists imprisoned throughout the world.
Gilles: Does this involvement in charities arise from your education?
Melissa: This committment is natural when you have the chance to be in a profession such as mine. In addition, as a woman, I am naturally affected and concerned by The Marie Claire Rose initiative.!
Matthieu: Congratulations on this combat for women!
Electronica: Yes... well done!
Melissa: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your interest in this project... Your curiosity leads me to believe and hope that the money collected will be doubled or tripled and that thousands of young girls will soon have the right to believe in their future. See you soon... Stay committed!!
