“Isle be back”
“I told you that I would be back in Mayotte soon.” After spending a few weeks on the small French island of La Réunion, Hugo Girard, a 24-year-old history and geography teacher, is now back to teaching his high school students. In a previous article, he gave us his account of his life in Mayotte and, more broadly, explained the island's situation before the disaster. In this new article, he tells us more about the storm's aftermath, the challenges in rebuilding the island, and how to teach in such an uncertain context.
The Other Side of the Storm
When I asked Hugo where he was living now, knowing that he lost his apartment, he told me that he was one of the luckiest. “I live in a sublet apartment, in colocation, and it remains extremely expensive. Rents in Mayotte are reaching Parisian levels.”
The housing crisis is certainly one of the main consequences of Chido. Before the storm, Mayotte’s housing was already in a terrible situation. Shanty towns covered the island and apartments were reserved for the wealthiest. “Chido destroyed these residences and it’s now very hard to find a proper habitation”, deplores Hugo. He explained that the best way to find housing was word-of-mouth, showing the helplessness of the inhabitants. “For housing, for water…, if you want to get by in Mayotte, it’s the only way.”
The other housing challenge is due to the ‘bangas’, makeshift homes that create slums all over the island. “These slums resurfaced just after the cyclone. Except that the materials were gone, and people had to rebuild the bangas with even fewer resources. This created even more precarious living conditions and poverty on the island, and it worsens the student’s schooling”, says Hugo. According to the French government, fifty percent of the population is less than 17 years old. “Some of my students, who were in a fragile situation before Chido, left school after the storm. Most of them live in the bangas and are so destitute that they no longer have the resources or conditions to attend school”, regrets the young teacher. “It’s a shame that nothing is done to help them.” Indeed, the “Special Law” that was voted on in early February by the French Parliament doesn’t contain much on education and support to the locals but mostly focuses on infrastructures and the fight against illegal immigration. “Mayotte is once more left aside, and we have to manage the situation by ourselves.”
Emergency and precariousness are felt in the stores, where the struggle for food and water is a daily battle. “6 bottles of water now cost 15€!” exclaims Hugo. When I ask him why the prices are so high, he explains that it is not only due to the shortages but also to the monopoly of Ida Nel (a South African businesswoman), who owns all the supermarkets on the island. Moreover, she controls the port of Longoni, the main port of the island), where all the trade happens. “Mahorais have no choice but to go to her stores, and therefore to suffer these prices. She does what she wants, and we suffer the consequences. The lack of water is creating health problems. The economic situation is terrible.” Supermarkets are empty, and people are looking for products on street markets. But the fruits that are found on the markets come from Comoros or Continental Africa and are full of pesticides and chemicals. “They come from illegal importations and do not fit the health norms…” explains Hugo, laughing nervously.
“But where is the humanitarian aid that has been delivered to Mayotte?”, I asked Hugo. According to the Prefecture, 300 tons of food was delivered to the island by France. However, his answer was edifying. He explained that the food distributions are done by the mayors on the island. “But, this aid was in its big majority diverted”, as shown by the French newspaper Le Monde. “The administration refused to admit the conclusions of this investigation and suspended the aid in reprisal. This is an absolute shame!”, explains Hugo, exasperated. Now, the Mahorais rely on the support of the associations which is far from enough, even if donations reach high levels.
“It’s not the only time that there have been fraud scandals”, he explains. In fact, in 2024, two elected officials were sentenced to jail for misappropriation of public funds, illegal interest-taking, favoritism, and receiving stolen goods, according to the newspaper La Provence. Just after Chido, a mayor was condemned for clientelism and favoritism, showing the extent of the corruption. “Public money is disappearing and the population is again the victim. People don’t believe the officials, and it makes rebuilding even harder…”
Testing Times
Back on the island, Hugo had to start teaching again. Students were back at school on January 27. “I struggled to find a way to introduce Chido appropriately. Some students suffer deep psychological damage, and I didn’t want to hurt them.” For Hugo, it was done through a history of cyclones in Mayotte, and placing Chido in the island's particular geographical context, which is highly exposed to cyclones. “Talking about it together in a light way also helped students to move on, and regain taste for school.”
Not all students came back to school after the storm. “Some students went back to La Réunion or even to France, and it’s good for them to get by, but it doesn't help the rest.” Those who leave are the most affluent and the students with a good academic level. They go to France hoping to take their final exams and graduate from high school, as the exams are canceled in Mayotte. “We can talk about a brain drain, which is very damaging for the island,” laments Hugo. “We must not forget that some students left school due to their extremely poor condition in Mayotte.”
How to teach in this context? “We have to move on, the year goes on”, says Hugo. “My mission remains the same, I’m here to give them knowledge, but also to support my students.” Still, some challenges are coming, mostly regarding the conditions of teaching on the island, the social and health crises, the lack of transport, and the role of the youth in the reconstruction of the territory.
A Future to reinvent
“My school was severely damaged by Chido”, says Hugo. The building lost its roof and faced water infiltrations. “We were the luckiest, as some classes now happen in tents.” This question of reconstruction raises a dilemma: “Do we want to rebuild rapidly knowing the buildings will be fragile? Or, do we take into account the challenges and opt for a sustainable reconstruction, taking into account the climatic threats?” This debate emerges while reconstruction is being done in a context of uncertainty. “Mayotte is under constant threat of natural hazards.” regrets Hugo. Indeed, the major underwater “Fani Maoré” volcano is awakening. Located fifty kilometers away from the island and at a depth of around forty kilometers, this massive volcano was responsible for a magnitude 4,9 earthquake in August 2024(without any damage). “This risk is not taken into account, and the population is not prepared for such hazards,” says Hugo. “The volcano has only been discovered a few years ago but it is a direct threat.” In this context, it is hard to project a vast reconstruction plan for Mayotte, as it lacks funds to rebuild adapted buildings. Mayotte is condemned to remain prey for climatic hazards.
“I think that we should not repeat the errors of the past in rebuilding Mayotte.” Even if France supports reconstruction, it will not be enough. “Destructions are massive, and it will take long before rebuilding”, regrets Hugo. “And the social crisis will remain. Our hospital is overwhelmed, insecurity remains, diseases are on the rise, there's nothing left to eat… But when there is a problem in Mayotte, it always apparently comes back on immigration.”
Right after the storm, French President Emmanuel Macron came to Mayotte, saying that the island would “get rid of the slums and expel the illegal immigrants.” Today, Hugo tells me that the police are extremely present in the streets, sending people back to the Comoros. “But there is no point reinforcing the expulsions. It’s not the priority, and anyway, it’s ineffective. Crossing the sea from the Comoros costs only 200€, so it remains very accessible for migrants. Even if Mayotte’s living conditions are disastrous, it’s still better than in their home country.” The priority of the government is to fight illegal immigration, but it seems very hard to tackle this completely. “As if it were the island's only problem…” says Hugo. “Of course, it's a problem we have to deal with. But Mayotte suffers from many other ills, and we don't know how to deal with them.”
In other words: The reconstruction has only just begun...
Circle of Life
Whereas after my first discussion with Hugo, I was overwhelmed by the emotions of the cyclone story, this time I had before me a courageous teacher determined to move forward, full of courage. But there was also a feeling of disillusionment and helplessness in the face of all these mounting difficulties, condemned to move forward without having the means to do so. Hence, it's a mixed feeling that emerges from this interview, even if resilience and courage dominate. “It's hard, but we're going to make it. And that's what I admire about Hugo and the Mahorais.
I remember something that sums up the message of this article rather well. Throughout the interview, Hugo had a tired, downcast face, reflecting the heavy life on site. However, at the very end of the interview, talking about the local climate and nature coming back to life, a smile appeared. “As soon as I came back, that's what struck me. Bushes have sprung up where there was nothing left after Chido. There are even trees that have survived in the south of the island! And I've even seen baby turtles on the beach!” Proof that, even in dark times, life and hope always triumph.
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