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18 projects selected to support early education for disadvantaged children worldwide

The bioMérieux Endowment Fund for Education is proud to welcome five new partners and renew thirteen existing collaborations, reinforcing its commitment to supporting the education of disadvantaged children aged 0 to 8 in countries where bioMérieux operates.

These initiatives align with the Endowment Fund’s key thematic priorities and strengthen its holistic approach to education. Driven by the ambition to promote equal opportunities and reduce inequalities through education, the Fund works to ensure that every child can find their place in the world. Our 4th Call for Projects, launched in May 2025, sparked remarkable engagement across bioMérieux teams, generating 82 project submissions from 27 countries.

As a result, in 2026, the bioMérieux Endowment Fund will support 47 projects across 22 countries.

France

Maison des Familles St Jacques de la Lande (Rennes area) – The project supported by the Fund aims to foster the development, education, and well-being of 50 children aged 0 to 8, while strengthening the parent-child bond in a caring and inclusive environment.

Planète Enfants & Développement (Lyon) – The Endowment Fund supports the “Chemins d’Enfances” program, which works with highly vulnerable families living in emergency shelters or precarious housing. Its teams go directly to the families’ living environments to deliver educational workshops on-site.

Marraine et Vous (Lyon) – Marraine et Vous supports isolated and highly vulnerable women who are pregnant and/or have children under 3 years old, helping to improve their well-being and development through a mentoring program connecting a mother and her child with a host family. The project supported by the Fund aims to strengthen the Lyon branch of Marraine et Vous and provide guidance to 28 mothers and their 32 children.

Ensemble pour la Petite Enfance (Lyon) –expand its activities to The Endowment Fund continues its support for Ensemble pour la Petite Enfance (EPE), an nonprofit whose mission is to develop children’s socio-emotional skills as early as possible by supporting early childhood professionals. Through this new project, EPE will continue its work in nurseries and preschools, primarily in the Rhône region and Brittany. 

Afrique

Le Fondation d’Augustin (Ivory Coast - Abidjan) - The Endowment Fund continues its partnership with La Fondation d’Augustin. A new project has been launched in Pokoukangakro, a remote village in Ivory Coast, to provide children with a safe, inclusive, and sustainable learning environment. The Endowment Fund is supporting the renovation of educational facilities to promote quality education for all.

Enfants de Mathare (Kenya - Nairobi) - The Endowment Fund continues its commitment to the children of the Mathare slum by supporting the non-profit organization Enfants de Mathare. The aim is to provide them with quality early childhood and primary education in a safe, inclusive, and stimulating environment through the construction of a new school building.

North America

Youthlinc (Salt Lake City) – The Endowment Fund is renewing its partnership with Youthlinc by supporting a mentoring program for vulnerable refugee and immigrant children aged 5 to 8. This after-school program provides guidance focused on homework support, learning, and the development of key skills such as language proficiency, communication, financial literacy, socio-emotional growth, as well as expanding knowledge in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to promote their integration and independence.

Book Harvest (Durham) – The Endowment Fund renews its partnership with Book Harvest by supporting the “Book Babies” project, which assists disadvantaged families from the birth of their children by providing books and literacy resources, fostering a love of reading and lifelong learning.

St. Louis Crisis Nursery (St. Louis) – The Endowment Fund renews its support for St. Louis Crisis Nursery and its “Early Socio-Emotional Learning for Lifelong Success” project. The program offers play- and art-based therapy to children facing difficult situations, including homelessness, domestic violence, severe poverty, parental addiction, or mental health issues.

Asia Pacific (ASPAC)

Heart to Heart Foundation (Seoul, South Korea) – The Endowment Fund continues to support the Heart-to-Heart Foundation, helping 50 children aged 0 to 8 from vulnerable families through a holistic approach that combines education, emotional well-being, and nutrition.

Stewart House (Sydney, Australia) – The Endowment Fund renews its partnership with Stewart House to support young children in highly vulnerable situations. The new “Sensory and Emotional Foundations” project aims to strengthen their emotional regulation, resilience, and sensory development—key pillars for long-term well-being and learning.

CARE France (Bangkok, Thailand) – The Endowment Fund is renewing its partnership with CARE to help young children enrolled in 19 schools across four disadvantaged provinces in Thailand grow up in a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment. The project focuses on improving infrastructure, strengthening parental skills, and developing community-based child protection initiatives.

Save the Children (Shanghai, China) – The Endowment Fund is expanding its partnership with Save the Children in Shanghai to support a new project focused on inclusion. The initiative will strengthen the training of educators and caregivers while promoting a more diverse and inclusive learning environment. This reaffirms the Fund’s commitment to creating nurturing and equitable spaces where every child can grow and thrive to their fullest potential.

Europe & Middle East (EME)

Spastic Children's Foundation of Turkey (Istanbul, Turkey) – The project supports the physical, sensory, emotional, and cognitive development of 20 children aged 2 to 8 with cerebral palsy, aiming to promote their access to education, social integration, and autonomy.

Fundación Apadis (Madrid, Spain) – Partner since 2023, the Endowment Fund is renewing its support for the NAKAMA project, which provides personalized, at-home support for 16 children aged 0 to 8 with developmental disorders or difficulties. The project aims to improve their quality of life and that of their families by fostering independence through tailored interventions in their everyday environment.

LATAM

Mano Amiga Zipaquirá (Bogotá, Colombia) – The Endowment Fund is renewing its partnership with Mano Amiga Zipaquirá to reduce educational inequalities through the implementation of innovative teaching methods. In this new project, an agroecological greenhouse will be added to the existing creative lab, allowing children in Zipaquirá to explore science and innovation through hands-on activities that are directly relevant to their local context.

Desafío Levantemos (Santiago, Chile) – The Endowment Fund renews its partnership with Desafío Levantemos Chile. The supported project seeks to enhance the socio-emotional development of 75 children aged 4 to 6 by integrating this dimension into the school curriculum through immersive experiences inspired by space exploration, in schools located in highly vulnerable areas.

Fundación SÍ (Buenos Aires, Argentina) – The Endowment Fund renews its partnership with Fundación SÍ to continue developing a nurturing educational space where children can freely express themselves, feel safe, and strengthen their socio-emotional skills.


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