The social situation on La Réunion Island is a cause for concern, with almost 40% of the population living below the poverty line according to INSEE. The island also has a high unemployment rate, particularly among young people, which exacerbates the difficulties faced by many families. This social reality is a daily challenge for community organisations such as the Banque alimentaire des Mascareignes, which works to alleviate the effects of this precarious situation.
On 23 November 2024, the Banque alimentaire des Mascareignes concluded its annual collection of donations. For several days, volunteers called on supermarket customers to collect basic necessities such as pasta, tinned food and milk. Their aim: to collect 50 tonnes of food to help the most disadvantaged.
This year’s collection was particularly difficult. Between rising prices due to inflation and wages and social benefits that do not keep pace with these increases, fewer people are making donations. This is the observation shared by the volunteers interviewed by Réunion Première.
Another noted a change in the values of La Réunion society, with a decline in solidarity: ‘It’s sad to see that some people would rather buy alcohol than help out with a tin of sardines.

Breaking with an imposed model to re-establish solidarity

This decline in solidarity can be understood through the prism of neo-colonialism, which has profoundly transformed the values of La Réunion society. In La Réunion, integration into a French framework has imported a Western-style model of consumption. Individualism and the quest for material goods, the driving forces behind this model, have gradually replaced the practices of sharing and mutual aid that were once essential to Réunionese society as an Indian Ocean culture.
In the past, family and community networks made it possible to cope with economic and climatic challenges. Today, these networks have weakened under the influence of a consumer society that values individual success.
If La Réunion is to overcome the challenges of poverty and inequality, traditional practices of solidarity need to be revived.
To encourage this awakening on La Réunion, it is essential to rethink the economic and social model imported by the neo-colonial regime. This means raising awareness of Reunion’s history and culture, and investing more in local initiatives that strengthen social ties.

Freeing ourselves from neo-colonialism

Basic necessities donated by supermarket customers are given back by the Banque alimentaire des Mascareignes to a number of associations. These NGOs work to support the most vulnerable families.
This situation also raises a question: how can we make the public and decision-makers more aware of the need to take action to reduce inequalities? Like its island neighbours, who are defending their interests on the international stage, La Réunion could find solutions to strengthen its position in the face of these social and economic challenges. But this presupposes a review of the framework, which is based on a neo-colonial regime, and a change in mentality so that solidarity once again becomes one of the foundations of La Réunion society, as is the case with our neighbours.

M.M.