Radio Plus Brings Light to Five Families This Divali

Radio Plus, one of Mauritius's most listened-to radio stations, marked this year's Divali celebrations by joining forces with four local organisations to support five families living in some of the island's less prominent communities.

The initiative brought together Farmland, Mayil, Nou Baz Solider and AnAngel, a mix of food brands and social solidarity groups, to assemble and deliver care kits to families based in Cite Mangalkhan, Pailles, Grand-Riviere-Nord-Est, Mesnil and Eau-Coulee. These are residential areas spread across different parts of Mauritius, from the outskirts of Port Louis to inland and eastern communities.

Each kit contained food products and other essential items, though the full contents of the packages were not detailed in the original report. The gesture was framed as a way of sharing the spirit of Divali, the Hindu Festival of Lights celebrated annually across Mauritius, with families who might otherwise have little to celebrate.

Divali, also written as Diwali, holds deep cultural significance in Mauritius, where roughly half the population is of Indian origin. The festival typically involves the lighting of oil lamps, known as diyas, the sharing of sweets, and prayers to the goddess Lakshmi. It is a public holiday on the island and is observed with considerable fanfare, from home decorations to fireworks.

For families facing financial hardship, the festive period can also be a time of pressure. Initiatives like the one led by Radio Plus aim to ease that burden by ensuring that celebration is not limited to those who can easily afford it.

Radio Plus is part of the Defi Media Group and broadcasts in Mauritian Creole. It has a broad listenership and has previously been involved in community outreach efforts around major calendar events.

The four partner organisations each bring different strengths to this kind of collaboration. Farmland is a known food supplier in Mauritius, while Nou Baz Solider and AnAngel operate in the social welfare space, connecting donors and volunteers with vulnerable households.

What this means: This is a small but meaningful example of private-sector and civil-society collaboration in Mauritius during a key cultural moment. While five families is a modest number, the story reflects a wider pattern of community-led support networks that operate alongside government social services, particularly during festive periods when need is most visible.

Source: Le Defi Media