EDF Foundation donates cheque for 155,500 euros to Collectivité

MARIGOT–Representatives of Electricité de France (EDF) Foundation this week donated a cheque of 155,500 euros to the Collectivité to finance four specific actions in a charitable gesture following Hurricane Irma.

Soon after the hurricane, EDF Foundation launched an appeal on September 13, 2017, among its employees to raise funds for St. Martin. More than 4,000 employees responded and a total of 155,500 euros was collected, and 42,000 euros for St. Barth.

It was decided after a deliberation by the board of directors on February 8, chaired by CEO Jean Bernard Levy, the money would go towards four specific actions; two projects to help the elderly, disabled and disadvantaged and two for the youth.

A sum of 100,000 euros is allocated for the elderly and disabled to help to purchase cement, zinc, and other materials to rebuild their homes and roofs, and in the second project to purchase household appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, freezers, etc. Some 40, 000 euros will go towards purchasing computer equipment and other materials for eight schools, and 15,000 euros to finance cultural and sports activities for the youth.

The Collectivité, under the direction of Director of Elderly and Disabled Care Evelyne Ratchel-Jacob, will be selecting the families most in need of the help.

A convention was signed with EDF and Third Vice-President of the Collectivité Annick Petrus Fergas, prior to the cheque presentation. The EDF/Collectivité agreement will enable the Collectivité to set a legal framework for the distribution of donations collected by EDF Foundation.

“This support operation goes straight to our hearts, and on behalf of our Collectivité and its President, I would like to thank all those who have so generously contributed to this solidarity operation,” said Petrus. “The Department of Solidarity and Families that I am responsible for has identified vulnerable and dependent people in need of immediate help. And we also know that our young people need support so that they can develop through sport and culture.

“Managing Director Corinne Helary-Planchon and Evelyne Ratchel-Jacob are responsible for monitoring this agreement and our communication department will be responsible for communicating on the progress of each of the projects. After months of emergency management and financial negotiations, we are now entering the reconstruction phase. It has been a long time coming for reasons that you all know, but today, the Collectivité is beginning to implement its projects with the reconstruction of schools, assistance to the poorest before the hurricane season and the rehabilitation of sports and cultural facilities for our youth.

“I would like to thank the EDF Group Corporate Foundation, through Emmanuelle Mercier and Laure Hervé, and EDF Guadeloupe in the person of Sylvain Vidal, for this beautiful solidarity action in favour of the people of St. Martin.

“Finally, I would like to take advantage of this event to pay tribute once again to EDF for the excellent work it has done to rehabilitate electricity, which it undertook in St. Martin the day after Irma. Thanks to the deployment of men and means, our population was able to recover electricity within a very appreciable time. We are now leading the project to bury the electricity networks.”

Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/75922-edf-foundation-donates-cheque-for-155-500-euros-to-collectivite

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