A month since Cyclone Chido devastated Mayotte. In mainland France, the Mahorese and Comorian community continues to mobilize. This is particularly the case in Provence, in Marseille, which has the largest Comorian community in France, and Toulon, where groups tirelessly continue to collect and send numerous donations to the island.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Marseille, Siam Spencer
“ We head towards Toulon. We are going to collect food »: in Toulon, this Monday January 6, around fifteen Mahorais and Comorians are waiting for Naer Abdallah, from the Ambre association, to load the truck. “ Currently, we are loading everything that is water and milk. Next, we will load everything that is foodstuffs, so pasta, rice, canned goods, couscous », describes Naer.
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Quickly, the Marseille truck is full to bursting. Abdou Ouirdani, president of the Mahoraise union of Toulon, makes phone calls. “ We’re going to try to find a second truck to put everything in it. This way, we follow you », adds the president. A semi-trailer belonging to one of the volunteers parks in the parking lot. Abdou specifies: “ We have a lot of food, a lot of clothes, but there is everything in fact. There are toys, hygiene products, toothpaste… Everything, everything. » More than sixty large boxes in all.
Donations have been pouring in for weeks in Toulon, explains Kassim, a volunteer, and it’s not going to stop there: “ The crisis is not going to end today, if we have to restart donations once a month, we must do it. The reconstruction of Mayotte It won’t happen in one day. »
Once the donations have been deposited in a hangar in Marseille, it’s time to take stock with Naer. “ We have almost 7 to 8 tons of food, with clothing and medical equipment. », Describes the member of the association. Donations from Marseille and Toulon which will leave by sea on January 24.
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