Réunion faces significant economic challenges. Around 36% of the population lives below the poverty line, while the cost of living is estimated to be about 9% higher than in mainland France, according to figures cited from France’s national statistics institute, INSEE.
Golden Page News | August 18, 2026
SAINT-LEU, Réunion — As families across Réunion prepare for the new school year, community organisations and local authorities are expanding reuse and solidarity initiatives to help households manage rising back-to-school expenses.
For many families, the cost of school supplies can therefore place additional pressure on household budgets.
Giving school supplies a second life
At the Trokali reuse centre at the Saint-Leu waste facility, residents can donate and collect items that remain in usable condition.
Béatrice, a Saint-Leu resident and a primary-school teacher preparing for retirement, recently arrived carrying books and toys that had belonged to her grandchildren.
She also took part in “Trok’ékol,” a seasonal initiative encouraging residents to donate school supplies they no longer need so they can be reused by other families.
After 42 years in education, Béatrice said she had accumulated a large quantity of folders, notebooks, pens and books. Rather than throwing them away, she chose to donate them.
The initiative also provides families with access to supplies free of charge.
Helping families manage rising costs
The Territoire de l’Ouest, which operates the initiative across five waste facilities, is encouraging residents to donate unused school materials.
The programme allows families to obtain items such as notebooks, pens and folders without having to purchase everything new.
Réunion’s lower-income families are eligible for the same back-to-school allowance as families in mainland France. However, higher living costs mean that the financial support can cover a smaller proportion of household expenses.
The island remains one of France’s departments with the highest poverty rates, behind Mayotte and French Guiana.
Community organisations expand support
Other organisations are also responding to the financial pressures facing families.
The association Le Rézo’ Kréol has launched a collection campaign for clothing and school supplies, with the aim of distributing the items free of charge to families experiencing financial difficulties.
Meanwhile, Ti Tang Récup collects clothing throughout the year in several parts of the island and makes it available at low prices.
The organisation says its objective is to give unwanted clothing a second life while providing practical support for people facing financial hardship.
Reuse also addresses an environmental challenge
The growing focus on reuse is not only about reducing household expenses. It is also part of a wider effort to reduce waste on an island where landfill capacity is under increasing pressure.
Saint-Leu Mayor Karim Juhoor has called for more initiatives that encourage residents to reuse everyday items rather than discard them.
A 2025 report by the Regional Audit Chamber for Réunion and Mayotte highlighted the pressure on the island’s two landfill sites and identified significant opportunities to improve waste recovery.
According to the report, up to 80% of waste found in household bins could potentially be recovered or reused, while the current recovery rate remains significantly lower.
A practical response to two challenges
The back-to-school campaigns demonstrate how community solidarity and environmental action can work together.
For families, reused school supplies can mean lower expenses at a time when household budgets are under pressure. For communities, the same initiatives prevent usable materials from becoming waste.
As the new school year begins, Réunion’s experience highlights a broader lesson: supporting families and protecting the environment can sometimes begin with something as simple as giving an old notebook, schoolbag or item of clothing a second life.
