"We try our best with what we have and we are delighted to be useful," says Anne-Charlotte Sion, co-manager of Entraide Foundation, in her talk with The Voice.

What is Entraide? How was it started?
Entraide is an association of French-speaking volunteers in Poland. We help nursing homes for the elderly and very needy children. Entraide was established in 1995 at the initiative of Isabelle Perrin. The organization is a charity branch of the Varsovie Accueil Association. At the beginning its charitable activity consisted of collecting clothes and toys within the French community. Today Entraide is a fully sanctioned charity according to Polish tax and legal regulations. Some 30 women, French and Polish, care for approximately 2,000 people in nearly 20 homes: orphanages, nursing homes for the elderly, day care centers for handicapped people and centers for the homeless.

Donations help pay for building renovations, school equipment, small home appliances, holidays and sometimes meals.

What kind of fundraising campaigns are you involved in?
Each year we have three major events. On Dec. 6, Saint Nicholas day, we provide gifts for children with either money or product donations from companies.

Second, we host two charity bazaars in November and May within the French community in Saska Kępa [district]. We receive a great deal of generosity and support from this community.

We also host a Spring Cocktail with support from the French Embassy and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry-this is our most important event. Every French company registered in Poland is invited. Their donations, which this year amounted to zl.118,000, will support two previously selected projects. The first will allow 40 children from poorer backgrounds in the Kielce region, already educated as part of the Bread of Life Foundation, to go on holiday for the first time. This holiday in France will help the children to regain a little dignity in the face of peers who do not have the same financial background.

We will also finance the renovation of a specialized educational center for the handicapped in Nowy Dwór Gdański. This center hosts 137 handicapped children aged 7-20. The building was constructed in the 50s and not renovated since, which means it is in dire need of work. The windows and bathrooms will be revamped first. Both of these projects will be financed by a cocktail party held May 11 at the French Ambassador's residence.

What kind of support do you provide to needy children?
There are many ways to help the needy. One French family, for example, donated all the gifts given to their latest child, born earlier this year, to a school in Niezabyszew, so that the school could pay for the children's meals. For some students, these are the only meals they receive.

Sponsorship is another form of support. This generally concerns children from the countryside in dire need. We estimate that of the 8 million Poles under 18 years of age, one million live below the poverty line. An average Polish child needs zl.100 a month for books, clothes, transport and school lunch fees.

We can also organize holidays. For the past three years, thanks to three committed companies, we have been able to send 40 handicapped children to a seaside rehabilitation center.

How do you manage your budget and make sure that donated funds are used for their intended purpose?
First, I would like to underline that our costs are practically non-existent. Entraide is a non-profit organization and we are all volunteers. Donors can therefore be sure that funds are used exclusively for their intended purposes.

In terms of on-site control, we are extremely careful. We work on low-risk projects with other charities such as Caritas or the Community for the Bread of Life, which have a clean track record.

Each project is based on precise plans and contracts that define the different stages of projects or activities. We also check to make sure each project is completed properly and each bill accompanied by photographs illustrating the work that has been done. Our accounting is also handled by Mazars.

What motivates volunteers at Entraide?
Our work is useful for others but also extremely gratifying for us. We are delighted to improve the livelihood of the needier sections of the Polish population, even if it is only a drop of water in an ocean. Naturally, all those that are willing to spend time in helping our organization are most welcome.