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Who We Are

Since its creation in 1998 by Françoise Grenot Wang (FangFang), the NGO Couleurs de Chine’s mission has been to seek sponsorship and patronage to help families from the Miao, Yao and Dong ethnic groups in Guangxi to cover their children’s school fees, and then to help high school and university students to finance their studies.

In France, Couleurs de Chine is an NGO apolitical and non-denominational, created in 1990 with for initial objective to promote in France the culture of the ethnic minorities of China.

In 1997, Françoise Grenot-Wang, founder of the association, worked in the region of the Great Miao Mountains in Guangxi, as an interpreter for a team of Médecins sans Frontières. As part of this work, she was moved by the difficulties of getting girls into school. Indeed, in most schools in these Miao, Yao and Dong villages, almost no girls were enrolled because of family poverty and school fees for a single child represented a large share of their income.

Fang Fang (方芳)..., as Françoise Grenot-Wang was known locally, died tragically on 11 December 2008 in an accidental fire at her house in Danian, at the age of 59. She left behind a family, an immense humanitarian work recognized by the Chinese and French authorities and supported by an active association: Couleurs de Chine, and also an ethnological work of great quality. She was an honorary citizen of Liuzhou and a Knight of the National Order of Merit.

President Xi Jinping pays tribute to FangFang

In March 2014, in a solemn speech delivered in Paris during his State visit to France, the President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping evoked the memory of four French personalities “who contributed to China’s development”, in these terms:

“We will never forget the many French friends who have made a significant contribution to China’s all-round development. I would mention, among others, doctor Jean-Augustin Bussière who, at the risk of his life, carried precious medicines by bicycle to the bases fighting against Japanese aggressors, military doctor Jean-Guillaume Houel who rescued the young Chinese girl trapped in the elevator during the strong aftershocks of the great earthquake in Wenchuan, Mrs Françoise Grenot-Wang, called FangFang by the Chinese, who helped Chinese children out of the school system to go to school, and Mr. Christian Bauer, coach of several Chinese sabre world champions, not to mention Alain Perrin, the new coach of China’s national men’s football team, from whom Chinese fans expect a lot and to whom I wish every success.”

Xi Jinping

President of the People’s Republic of China