Last Christmas, Team EE did something a little bit different. Instead of buying Christmas presents for our clients and hosting a staff Christmas party, as we have done in past years, we got in touch with ATD Quart Monde, a charity aimed at helping the poor, to find out how we could support their efforts. We decided to share a day with the people of Vuillemin – a small suburb in the District of Moka, Mauritius. Vuillemin is home to numerous families who struggle to make ends meet and thereby miss out on some of the Christmas comforts that we might take for granted.

Team EE brought wrapped presents to the Mrs. Chile’s House, the Vice-President of ATD Quart Monde who lives in Vuillemin as well. We met with the representatives who told us a little bit about the place and the people of Vuillemin.

The children’s faces lit up when they saw us. This was the moment we all had been looking forward to. We introduced ourselves and had a chat with them. They were so eager to tell us what they like doing and to learn about what we do.

When the time for the gifts came – we could feel the excitement rising. One by one, they came to get their presents with the look of innocent curiosity on their faces. After opening their gifts and sharing their joy with their friends, the children joined us for cakes and drinks. It was another opportunity to speak with them. Some of them showed us a few handcrafted pieces they made and a “thank you banner” to commemorate the day’s event. It was amazing to see how gifted they were with their hands and imagination.

Another passion the people shared in Vuillemin is Music. Kids sang Sega (local traditional Mauritian music) whilst playing their Ravanne (local traditional Mauritian music instrument). They were very good.

After a few hours, it was time to head back to the office. We felt happy. We were glad everything went well and that we were invited to share this moment. We felt privileged for the invitation. We hoped they enjoyed the day as much as we did. We pledged to do more of those events throughout the year and to provide a more regular and sustainable assistance to this small community.

We hope you enjoyed this present.