After several successful donation collections to help the inhabitants of Mayotte where Cyclone Chido left only rubble, the Mahoraise Youth Football Club of Dijon collected a large quantity of material. But it still needs to be able to be transported to the island in the Indian Ocean. However, at present, nothing is less certain due to lack of means to finance a carrier.
A first container sent free of charge
On December 24, a container left for Mayotte thanks to a gesture from maritime carriers. “In this one, all the Mahorese associations could send their donations, and we were able to put 15 cubic meters of our stock there,” explains Nathalie Munier, president of the club.
A call for help to local communities
“But we still find ourselves with a lot of donations, around 130 cubic meters: 60% represents clothing and 30% food. Everything could fit in a single container, but our club is small and does not have the means: sending a container to Mayotte would cost us nearly €7,000. » Nathalie Munier then decided to knock on every door to try to find a solution: “I wrote to the City and Metropolis of Dijon to obtain additional aid. » The Department and the Region will also be requested “so that the donations of the Dijon residents are not lost”.
Time is running out
The situation is becoming urgent, because the journey to Mayotte is long: a liner on a direct route can take between three weeks and a month to arrive at its destination. But if it goes through the Suez Canal, it takes two to three months. “The clothes will be donated to local associations and the food to humanitarian associations if nothing goes away. But the goal is for it to go to Mayotte,” declares Nathalie Munier, who is not losing hope. For the moment, the collected material is stored in premises loaned by the City of Dijon.
