The global movement of social innovators Catalyst Now has set up shop in Mauritius, with the official launch of its local chapter in January. Spearheaded by ReUSE Revamp, a social enterprise pioneering the circular economy, the Catalyst Now Mauritius Chapter aims to mobilize public, private and civil society players around a common goal: accelerating the transition to sustainable, resilient development.
François Mark, Chairperson of the Mauritius chapter, and Mahendranath Busgopaul, a local pioneer of the movement, are at the head of this initiative, with the aim of transforming dialogue into concrete action. For François Mark, inspiration comes from the international arena: “ I decided to launch the Mauritius chapter of Catalyst Now after seeing, within this movement, how international collaboration and the real commitment of its members can create a tangible impact”. Mauritius, with its specific climate challenges, is a priority area for action.
The island is facing increasing vulnerability, with sea levels rising by 5 to 8 millimeters per year, coastal erosion exceeding 37 kilometers, and almost 70% of local disasters linked to heavy rainfall. Against this backdrop, Catalyst Now Mauritius is positioning itself as a convergence platform for deploying climate resilience solutions, strengthening digital empowerment and developing an economy that generates green jobs.
At the heart of this dynamic, ReUSE Revamp plays a key role. Since 2023, the social enterprise has been transforming e-waste into accessible digital tools for students, job seekers and NGOs. But its action goes further: it focuses on upskilling young people through practical programs, STEM challenges and workshops on renewable energies, thus training tomorrow’s players for the ecological transition.
In 2026, the Mauritian side of Catalyst Now will move from dialogue to action with the Conversation Cafés, targeted meetings designed to bring about concrete projects around the circular economy, the energy transition to 60% renewable electricity by 2035, and Blue Carbon Finance. A pragmatic approach that combines education, innovation and collective action to make a lasting impact on a national scale!
Catalyst Now now has over 6,170 members representing 4,250 organizations in 156 countries, with 75 active collaborations, 66% of which are led by Global South. Mauritius joins a movement that proves that sustainable solutions are born where the most exposed territories become drivers of innovation.
