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27|03|07 +++ Holidaymakers support Mauritian primary school

...such as pens and pencils, paints and painting gear, satchels and lots more ever since the appeal was launched.
Club Mistral, actually a specialist for watersports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing, is appealing to its guests to support the primary school in Le Morne, southern Mauritius, with donated gifts. One guest from Britain, David Heeley, recently donated a laptop to the school.

Club Mistral is a service enterprise and offers its guests, who come from all over the world, windsurfing, kitesurfing and surfing rentals and tuition. The way in which the donations are handled is simple. The management sends a letter to all clients who book a trip to Mauritius; this letter describes the situation of Le Morne primary school and calls upon guests to bring school supplies and equipment with them for the children.
Guest reactions are always positive. Approx. 60% of them, mainly Europeans, bring a gift with them in their luggage. Fanny Durin, from Club Mistral, says that she receives about twenty parcels a week. "I can still recall the day we brought the children the crayons, which are not available on Mauritius. They were so astounded that they didn't even dare unpack them," says Fanny.

Recently, a tourist from Great Britain, David Heeley,  arrived at Club Mistral and brought us a laptop and educational DVDs, all intended for Le Morne primary school. Many thanks to David. This is the second time that Club Mistral has given the school a computer; two years ago it donated a PC plus printer.
And the Internet?
School Principal Yaswantlall Chooromonay, would not say 'no'. It would be very good if the 166 pupils of the primary school could take advantage of the Internet. "We are very grateful for the support we are receiving and we need it urgently. The parents of children in this area of Mauritius haven't got sufficient means and often have considerable financial difficulties. Their children can only attend school and make progress there if they have the necessary tools," says the Principal.
The laptop was immediately put into operation by IT teacher Ajit Mohun, whose task it is to introduce the children to the world of modern communications.
In the south, or southeast, of Mauritius there are more schools that need assistance. Club Mistral also speaks about the Le Morne project on its website. Tourists learn about the school, while gathering information about their windsurfing/kitesurfing trip.

For some time now, Club Mistral has also been collecting books that guests have finished reading or are prepared to leave behind. These books are then donated to La Gaulette library for pupils in the area.

Fanny Durin thinks that the Mauritians should also make donations. If the hotels and tour operators did something for the disadvantaged regions of the island, more children would be on the winning side. Club Mistral is setting the best example here! 
Many of the hotels and facilities would do well to take a leaf out of Club Mistral's book!

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