Supporting the new school year in Mayotte

Nine months after Cyclone Chido struck on 14 December last year, the archipelago of Mayotte is still struggling to recover. The unprecedented scale of this disaster has left deep scars, and the needs of the people affected remain immense. Fondation de France's appeal for donations raised €43.6 million, and €15.1 million has already been committed to support more than 200 initiatives across Mayotte. Of these, 73 concern education and support for young people. As the new school year begins, the priority is to ensure that children have decent learning conditions.

The new school year has started in Mayotte, but pupils' day-to-day lives remain difficult. Many schools are still damaged or undergoing repairs. In most schools, pupils still have to rotate because there are not enough classrooms, requiring them to share classes (one group attends lessons in the morning, the other in the afternoon). This structure complicates learning and widens inequalities, but associations and teachers are redoubling their efforts to support pupils and families. Associations are mobilising to distribute supplies, provide tutoring and offer extracurricular activities. Fondation de France has already supported 73 projects in the fields of education, childhood and youth to the tune of more than €3 million euros (20% of the total funds allocated to date).

In Longoni, in the north of the island, for example, Fondation de France supports the Nya Moja association, which has provided 800 children with school equipment. The association also organises extracurricular activities during the holidays and provides tutoring support open to all. It also runs a reception centre for young people without housing.

The Nya Moja association provides educational support for children.

In Bandrélé, in the south-east of the island, the Nyora Ya Toimaa association, which means "star of hope", supports young people all year round through educational support initiatives. For the start of the new school year, it has distributed school kits to disadvantaged children, in conjunction with schools and the town hall, to provide them with better learning conditions.

Meanwhile, through its tutoring project, the Maesha Na Ulanga association, based in Mamoudzou, enlists volunteer teachers to support pupils from primary to secondary school. It also offers sports activities, environmental awareness initiatives and educational support to help young people succeed at school while fostering their personal development.

Fondation de France also supports stakeholders in the field of early childhood. Six community crèches are currently being restored and will soon be able to reopen: Les Libellules, Les Petites Étoiles, Les Enfants des Margouillats, Niya Moja Oudza Loulou de Tsingoni, Niyatsara Mitarimizaa de Kani-Kéli and Owaza. These essential facilities provide a framework for early learning and socialisation.