Frequently asked questions

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In this section you will find answers to the questions most frequently asked of our teams.

Support our projects

Where does Action Education get its resources from?

The majority of Action Education's resources come from the generosity of the public. For more information, please visit The essence of Action Education.

How are the resources collected used?

The principle of Action Education is to pool donations across all missions so that we can intervene according to the real needs of each project.

Does Action Education work with the states in which it operates?

Action Education supports actors in its areas of intervention so that they are able to decide, elaborate, implement and evaluate their own development projects.

In this context, it maintains a close dialogue with the State and considers it as an indispensable interlocutor with whom it plays a facilitating role. Action Education respects the sovereignty of the state as the guarantor of education policy.

However, in order to accompany it, the association reserves the right to have a positive criticism on the educational policies carried out. As a facilitator, Action Education provides the State with methods, techniques and tools to enable it to make relevant decisions and to promote the implementation of appropriate educational policies.

Is it possible to talk about Action Education on my website or blog?

Thank you for your commitment to the cause of education. Would you like to talk about our association, our projects, our actions? Do not hesitate to let us know your wishes by contacting us by e-mail at the following address [email protected].

My personal information 

How can I inform you of my change of address (postal address, email...)?

All you have to do is :

  • call us on 01 55 25 70 00
  • or send us an email to [email protected],
  • or send us a letter with your new contact details to Action Education - Service Donateurs, 53 Bd de Charonne, 75545 Paris cedex 11.

Please indicate your donor reference number on the letters we send you or your previous postal address.

How do I change my bank details?

You can send us your new contact details by contacting the donor service by : 

  • telephone 01.55.25.70.00,
  • by mail to the address : [email protected]
  • or by post to Action Education - Service Donateurs, 53 Bd de Charonne, 75 545 Paris cedex 11.

Please specify your donor reference number on the letters we send you or your postal address, as well as the account from which your donations are currently being deducted 

Please notify us 10 days before the date of your next collection so that we can take your request into account.

My tax receipt 

Is my donation in France eligible for a tax deduction?

Whether you are an individual or a company, your donation, whether a one-off or a regular donation or sponsorship, is eligible for a tax reduction. 

As an individual, you benefit from a tax deduction of 66% of the amount paid to Action Education, within the limit of 20% of your taxable income. 

If you are a company, your donations entitle you to a tax deduction of 60% of the amount paid to Action Education, within the limit of 5% of your annual turnover. 

All one-off or regular payments made to the association are subject to an annual tax receipt

At what time of year is the tax receipt sent?

The Action Education in France tax receipt is sent every year at the end of the first quarter, a few weeks before the tax return for the previous year. 

I have lost my tax receipt. How do I proceed?

We can send you a duplicate, preferably by email in order to reduce our paper consumption and administration costs. You must make a request to us, either :

  • by telephone on 01 55 25 70 00
  • by mail to [email protected],
  • by post to Action Education - Service Donateurs, 53 Bd de Charonne, 75545 Paris cedex 11.

Please indicate your donor reference number on the letters we send you and your postal address.

You can also download an electronic version of your tax receipt from your personal online space. To obtain your login details, log on to http://monespace.aide-et-action.org and complete our account application form. With your personal login, you will also find in this dedicated area information about your commitment and the schedule of your next direct debits.

Sponsorship

What are the criteria for selecting schools for a project?

The schools where Action Education intervenes are chosen according to the most urgent needs identified, particularly in terms of primary schooling, and according to the motivation of the population.

What happens if the project I am sponsoring ends?

At the end of the project, Action Education evaluates the impact of the project in the community and decides either to continue supporting the project for a determined period of time, or to stop this support because the project has met the needs. The local actors will then continue to manage their educational project independently. An end-of-project report will then be sent to you. 

We will offer you the opportunity to follow a new project. Your donations continue as normal.

What happens to the children who benefited from the sponsored project?

With the knowledge gained at school, they will be better equipped to face the challenges of their adult lives and improve the living conditions of their families.

I have to deal with an unforeseen event, can I stop my sponsorship? What happens to the sponsored project?

Sponsorship is a long-term commitment that can be terminated at any time upon request. Simply inform the Action Education office in your country of residence:  

  • for France: by post to: Action Education, Service Parrains-Donateurs, 53 Bd de Charonne, 75545 Paris Cedex 11; or by email to [email protected]
  • for Switzerland: by post to: Action Education, Service Parrains-Donateurs, Rue de Vermont 9A, 1202 Geneva; or by email to [email protected] 

We will then stop your sponsorship. If you make your donation by direct debit, we thank you to inform us 10 days before the date of your next direct debit.

Our forecasts take into account the vagaries of life that may force you to interrupt your commitment. The use of our resources to finance all of our projects allows us, whatever your decision, to keep our commitments to the communities. Stopping your sponsorship will therefore have no direct impact on ongoing projects.

Why do connections sometimes arrive late?

Correspondence is managed by the people themselves. The correspondence committees organise drafting sessions and our teams then have to collect them. It can take a long time to get them through the local post office. This whole process takes time, and we sometimes encounter difficulties beyond our control (difficult or impassable communication routes at certain seasons, strikes, etc.). 

I would like to visit the project I am sponsoring. How do I go about it?

It is always preferable to visit the country outside the school holiday periods. In order to be able to welcome you in the best conditions, it is essential to inform us of your arrival. We ask you to contact the Action Education office in your country of residence at least two months before your departure: 

  • for France: by post to: Action Education, Service Parrains-Donateurs, 53 Bd de Charonne, 75545 Paris Cedex 11; or by email to [email protected]
  • for Switzerland: by post to: Action Education, Service Parrains-Donateurs, Rue de Vermont 9A, 1202 Geneva; or by email to [email protected] 

We can then give you some advice on how to prepare for your trip and organise your field visit (but we cannot take responsibility for your stay). You are always welcome to visit the projects where Action Education is active. Your visit will allow you to meet the children of the project you are sponsoring, and to see in concrete terms how the association and its various partners operate on the ground. When you return, don't hesitate to talk about it around you!

I don't know what to write in my correspondence...

We strongly encourage exchanges between sponsors and sponsoring countries. The strength of sponsorship is also in this link of correspondence and solidarity. A postcard, a photo of your environment, a poem, an article cut out from the press... are all ways of showing your interest. Think about how you want to introduce your country and culture to others... These are great opportunities for local teachers to stimulate curiosity and develop learning.

I would like to send a parcel

It is always better to think collectively and/or pedagogically: dictionaries, atlases, maps, etc., without thinking in terms of lack but rather in terms of sharing: how would you like to make your country and your culture known? 

We recommend sending letters in padded envelopes (not exceeding 1.2kg), rather than parcels. This will simplify the administrative process and save us from any customs duties. The address to which to send your parcel is shown on your sponsorship file, please indicate the reference of your file. Finally, do not enter your personal details

Our team on site will acknowledge receipt. 

Your parcels should not contain foodstuffs or valuables.

The Legacy

How to make a legacy to Action Education?

You must draw up a will that specifies your wishes. You can bequeath all or part* of your property (furniture, buildings, works of art, jewellery, vehicles, shares and cash, etc.) to Action Education.

Our status as a public utility association allows us to receive them without paying inheritance tax. For more information, see our section Wealth transfer.

You can contact Audrey Grosjean by mail: [email protected] or on 01.55.25.40.92

*By respecting the rule of the available share: half of your property is obligatorily for your child if you have any.

I did not understand the difference between a legacy and a donation

A bequest is a legal act by which property is passed on after death.

A donation allows you to pass on an asset during your lifetime. It is irreversible and must be the subject of a notarial deed in certain cases.

For more information, see our " The donation "or contact Audrey Grosjean at [email protected] or on 01.55.25.40.92

How to draw up a will?

There are 3 forms of wills:

- Holographic wills This is the most common. It is written entirely in your handwriting, dated and signed.

- The authentic will It is drawn up by the notary according to your instructions and in the presence of two witnesses or two notaries.

- The mystical will This is the least used. It is given to the notary, closed and sealed, in the presence of 2 witnesses.

Good to know: if you make a holographic will, in order to ensure that it is not lost or falsified, it is advisable to file this will with a notary who will register it in the Central Last Will and Testament Register (the notary fees are regulated and the cost of registration is 27.30€ excluding VAT in 2014).

Can I request that my donation or legacy money be used for a specific purpose?

The money collected by Action Education is generally pooled and used to finance, as needed, all the projects set up by the association in favour of education.

If you have specific wishes, please contact Audrey Grosjean by e-mail, to the address : [email protected] or by telephone, at 01.55.25.40.92.

Is the intervention of a notary necessary for a gift, donation and legacy?

While the intervention of a notary is not mandatory for donations, it is for gifts.

In the case of a bequest, the consultation of a notary is not compulsory but is strongly recommended.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Audrey Grosjean by e-mail, to the address : [email protected] or by telephone, at 01.55.25.40.92.

Can I leave my entire estate to Action Education?

You can bequeath all or part of your assets (furniture, buildings, works of art, jewellery, vehicles, shares and cash, etc.) to Action Education.

However, it is compulsory to respect the rule of the available share in order not to harm your heirs (half of your property is compulsorily for your child if you have one).

What is life insurance?

Life insurance allows you to build up capital through regular or exceptional payments, which can be passed on to the natural or legal person of your choice in the event of your death or during your lifetime.

It is the subject of a contract taken out with insurance companies. The beneficiary or beneficiaries can be changed during the life of the contract.

What are the different types of donations?

There are 3 types of donations: 1

Full ownership donation The property is transferred in its entirety to the association, which becomes the final owner.

Bare ownership donation with usufruct reserve Action Education: Action Education becomes the permanent owner of the property but you, or someone you designate, uses it or receives the benefits of it, either for a fixed period or until death.

Temporary donation of usufruct You remain the owner but Action Education can use the property (e.g. receive rental income from a flat or dividends from a share).

Important, donations have an impact on your tax situation For individuals, the tax reductions are the same as for donations, whether they are deducted from income tax or wealth tax.

What are the tax benefits of donations?
  • For the donation in full ownership : You benefit from a tax deduction of 66% of the amount of your donation within the limit of 20% of your net taxable income. The excess can be carried forward to the next 5 years.
  • For the donation of bare ownership with usufruct reserve : You benefit from a tax deduction of 66% of the amount of your donation within the limit of 20% of your net taxable income. The excess can be carried forward to the next 5 years. Please note that the value of the property is included in the usufructuary's assets and may therefore, depending on the amount, be subject to wealth tax (ISF).
  • For the temporary donation of usufruct : The property and its income are removed from your tax base. This can have a significant impact on the amount of your wealth tax (ISF) and your income tax.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Audrey Grosjean by mail:

[email protected]

or on 01.55.25.40.92

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