Several dozen people gathered in front of Pau town hall to observe a minute of silence in support of Mayotte, while Monday, December 23 was declared a day of national mourning. On December 14, Cyclone Chido devastated the French island in the Indian Ocean, causing at least 35 deaths and immense damage.
“The human toll should increase,” recalled Jean-Louis Peres, a scarf in the colors of Mayotte around his neck. In front of the Mahorese community of Pau, the first deputy from Pau assures “support and friendship of the commune in this ordeal which will be long”. It indicates that the City voted “unanimously for aid of 25,000 euros. It will be paid to the Department of Mayotte. » “Unfortunately, we are starting to have experience in humanitarian aid,” remarks solidarity assistant Béatrice Jouhandeaux. She mentions the war in Ukraine in 2022 and the earthquake which hit Morocco in 2023.
“The need is vast,” points out Hissamidine Saidi Yahaya, member of the support collective in Mayotte which was created locally. “Water is the most vital. But the Mahorais need food, hygiene kits and clothes because the cyclone took away almost everything. Secondly, there may be needs for materials, particularly DIY materials. It is not a question of rebuilding but of doing small jobs. »
Around 300 Mahorais live in the Pau metropolitan area.
Le Deodic David / SO
Harvest point
The collective will soon be structured into an association. It will be able to send equipment by sea. “We have a capacity of 33 tonnes of sea freight,” continues Hissamidine Saidi Yahaya. It was proposed by a Mahorais who has a maritime transport company in Bordeaux. But above all we want to mobilize an air channel. This would make it possible to transport goods within 24 hours, whereas delivery times are at least four weeks with shipping. » In Paris, the Mayotte Delegation – an emanation of the Departmental Council – is in contact with airlines.
In Pau, a collection point will be set up to receive and store donations. “The idea is that people can give what they can,” says Hissamidine Saidi Yahaya. An online prize pool will also be set up. The funds will be donated to the Departmental Council of Mayotte. You should know that power cuts disrupt the entire island. This particularly affects banks, with residents who cannot withdraw. The funds could be used to pay merchants directly. »
The support collective can rely on a well-established community, with around 300 Mahorais living in the Pau metropolitan area. Many of them have family on the island. “I was with my mother on the phone when the cyclone hit the island,” remembers Hissamidine Saidi Yahaya. It cut out, and we didn't hear from him for two days. She lives in Petite Terre [une île située au large de Mamoudzou, la capitale. NDLR]where winds reached 226 km/hour. My brothers, who live in Mamoudzou, managed to get some brief news via the Starlink network [qui fonctionne par satellite. NDLR]. » Now reassured, the Mahorais wants to help as much as possible.
