This was the spirit behind the visit of Le Cœur de l’Ovalie, a French humanitarian rugby association driven by a shared passion for rugby and solidarity. Created three years ago, the association travels each year to a different country to meet local organisations, support their work and introduce children and young people to the values of rugby.

This year, their journey brought them to Mauritius, where they partnered with Atelier Sanouvize, Mahebourg Espoir and Future Hope.

During their visit, the volunteers went far beyond sport. They decorated walls, shared meals with children, distributed clothes, sports equipment and school materials, and donated foodstuff and equipment to the organisations. For many children and adolescents, rugby was a new and exciting discovery, offering a chance to learn teamwork, confidence and joy through play.

For Cyril Marthoud, a member of Le Coeur de l’Ovalie association, the experience was unforgettable: “Our greatest satisfaction was seeing the smiles on the faces of the children and their caregivers.  Their warm welcome and kindness were essential to the success of our initiative”

Through these simple actions, Le Cœur de l’Ovalie showed that solidarity can begin with a meal, a painted wall or a rugby ball passed from one child to another.