Port-Louis, September 9, 2025: The winners of the Deba Klima sezon 3 (Climate Debate Season 3), Nygel Andon, Annehel Anna, and Adriano Bonnefemme, hailing from La Confiance College, led by their teacher, who won the competition, have secured a trip to Rodrigues as part of the eco-travel, sponsored by the MCB Group.
The winners distinguished themselves during the television debate aired on MBC 1 and MBC Sat, slogging out after six weeks in the final on Saturday, June 28 pitted against the Dr Maurice Curé College. During the trip, the winning team, accompanied by a representative of the MCB and the Rajiv Gandhi Science Centre, explored natural wonders on the island.
Awareness of local realities
The winners of the Deba Klima were unanimously enthralled by the simplicity of the residents in Rodrigues. Nygel Andon shared about being aware of the challenges faced by the locals while realising the importance attached by the population to climate. “Everyone is taking actions against climate change,” he told. He was also impressed by the lifestyle, simplicity, and autonomy of the residents. Another winner, Annehel Anna added, “Life in Rodrigues is unique…the people, culture, vegetation and biodiversity have shown to me another facet of life that I wasn’t aware of but now experience with admiration.”
Rich and diverse explorations
The discovery of giant tortoises at the François Leguat reserve has been one of the highlights of the ecological trip, where the winners of the competition were given the opportunity to watch hundreds of tortoises, tropical birds, and indigenous trees.
This visit has also served as an opportunity to discover an impressive limestone formation of the Grande Caverne, showcasing an ecosystem that is rich and unique, where the fauna, flora, and geological heritage of Rodrigues blend. The winners also met divers and educators of the NGO Shoals Rodrigues, fighting for years to help promote the marine biodiversity. Through a guided glass-bottomed boat ride, the teenagers were also able to discover the aquarium and coral planting at Rivière Banane.
Eco-responsible welcome
It is for the third consecutive year that the Jolicoeur family opened the door of their residence, Foulsafat, to the winners. The residence for many embodies an eco-responsible welcome. “We consume what we produce and cultivate, putting on the table eggs, chickens, turkeys, and fruits from our garden. We also practice self-sufficiency in terms of water and electricity,” said Benoit Jolicoeur, the resident’s owner.
A pedagogical experience filled with learning
This trip to Rodrigues has served as a real pedagogical impact on the students of La Confiance College. The accompanying teacher, Michat Legrand Raout, said that the winners were exposed to a different lifestyle deemed as simple and extremely respectful of the environment. “This trip has enabled them to be better aware of the importance of natural resources, in particular water, which is becoming scarce on the island. They were able to observe ingenious and sustainable techniques of the inhabitants in order to obtain rainwater and produce electricity from renewable sources.”
Senior Resource Officer, RGSC Dr Bhamini Kamudu Applasawmy commented: “The eco-trip to Rodrigues offered to the winners was an enriching experience. Through local traditions such as artisanal fishing, basketry, sustainable agriculture, or coral restoration, the students were able to discover how the inhabitants on the island develop resilience in the face of water scarcity and food insecurity. This unique experience has put to the fore the honour of Rodriguan culture, traditional know-how, and sustainability as the real levers for adaptation and innovation in the wake of climate challenges.”
On the other hand, the MCB Group CEO Jean Michel Ng Tseung commented: “Deba Klima is not only an awareness exercise but is also an invitation to do a rethink in our relationship with the planet. We are convinced that the discovery of the preserved nature of Rodrigues Island, rich in its local culture and its unique biodiversity, has deeply marked the young winners of Deba Klima sezon 3. Such an experience strengthens the ecological awareness and understanding of young students on the real issues we grapple with.”
