EDUCATIONAL EXCHANGE BETWEEN STUDENTS FROM REUNION ISLAND, PROTEA SECONDARY,CHATSWORTH AND CFAD

ICFC (International Committee for Cooperation), organised an educational and cultural exchange programme between students of Lycee Stella, a secondary school in the Reunion Island, and students of Protea Secondary in Chatsworth. The programme took place in March this year.

ICFC initiated this programme to foster international person to person contact and to encourage friendship, educational and cultural exchanges. The aim of ICFC is to bring together students from India, Mauritius, Reunion Island and South Africa. For this particular programme ICFC chose Protea Secondary in Chatsworth as the school that received the students from Reunion Island.

The history of the Indians on Reunion Island is very similar to the history of South African Indians. Much like the Indians who were brought to this country to work on the sugar cane plantations as indentured labourers; the mainly South Indians were taken to Reunion Island as slaves to work on the tobacco and sugar cane plantations. The cultural and religious practices are similar to South African Indians. The difference is that Reunion Island was colonised by the French and here we follow an English way of life. This sets an interesting backdrop for the exchange between the students of Protea Secondary and the French speaking students of Reunion Island.

ICFC President, Rajen Reddy (CEO of KZN Oils), stated: “We provided our visitors a well rounded programme that included visits to tourist destinations in Kwazulu Natal, as well as interaction with the people of Chatsworth. The students enjoyed the warmth of the Chatsworth community as they lived in the homes of the Protea Secondary students.”


The French students also interacted with students at the CFAD Campus, Durban. Krish Moodley, ICFC Education Chairperson said:"We live in a global environment where everything is inter-connected therefore it is important to expose students to various influences and to a variety of cultural and educational practices.The visitors were treated to their first taste of a hot Durban delicacy at CFAD, The Bunny Chow! They thoroughly enjoyed the experience."