Connecting local people to the ocean in La Réunion
As part of our Sustainability Week, under the theme “Kicking off for sustainability”, we are spotlighting how sport can help create positive, lasting impact in our communities.
In La Réunion, that comes to life on the water.
We’ve partnered with the Base Nautique de l’Ouest, a local nautical centre with a mission to make watersports accessible to everyone, while protecting the environment and encouraging a spirit of community.
Through this collaboration, we are helping local people connect with the ocean - not only by experiencing it firsthand through kayaking and sailing, but by learning how to protect it for the future.
Learning through sport
As part of an ongoing “Sport & Environment” programme, schoolchildren aged 10 to 11 are taking part in a series of sessions combining water sports discovery with environmental education.
For these children, stepping into a kayak or a boat is an opportunity to build confidence, develop teamwork, and gain coordination and communication skills, all in a completely new setting.
Connecting sport and sustainability
Alongside kayaking, students are also exploring the natural environment that surrounds them.
During one session, the children took part in a hands-on workshop focused on the “Patate à Durand”, an endemic coastal plant that plays an important role in stabilising beaches and reducing erosion.
The students prepared and planted the cuttings themselves, for a first-hand understanding of how their actions – no matter how small - can contribute to protecting the coastline and preserving biodiversity.
By alternating between the water and the shoreline, the children experienced both sides of the programme - building a deeper understanding of how sport and environmental stewardship can go hand in hand.
Discovering the lagoon
Future sessions will continue to build on this foundation, combining nautical activities with learning around:
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Lagoon ecosystems
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Coastal geography
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Marine weather
Together, these experiences help young people better understand the environment they are part of, and the role they can play in protecting it.
Working together for long-term impact
Our partnership with the Base Nautique de l’Ouest began in 2025 and continues to grow, bringing together local partners, educators and our Vivo Energy Réunion team around a shared goal: increasing access to nautical activities in La Réunion while promoting environmental awareness.
Vivo Energy Réunion supports these initiatives with financial investment and by getting stuck into the sessions alongside our partners - helping bring each workshop to life and strengthening connections with the local community.
Looking ahead
This work is part of a broader commitment in La Réunion, with further initiatives already planned - from community events that celebrate and protect the marine environment, to local clean-up activities bringing people together around a shared purpose.
Kicking off for sustainability
This initiative is one example of how, across our markets, we are using sport as a platform to drive positive change - supporting education, strengthening communities, and promoting sustainability.
From 1-7 June, we’ll be sharing more stories like this from across our network. Follow along to see how we’re working with partners to create meaningful impact.