The founder of the Momon Papa Lé La association died this Friday, May 27, 2022 from a long illness. For more than twenty years, he had been committed to helping the poorest on the island.
The founder of the Momon Papa Lé La association, Patrick Savatier, died at the age of 61 this Friday, May 27, 2022. An early associative activist in Reunion, he worked for many years against precariousness.
Watch the report from Réunion La 1ère:
In 2004, Patrick Savatier created Momon Papa Lé La to help those most in need. A look back at the committed life of this tireless associative activist.
The wake will be held at the Prima funeral center this Friday, May 27, 2022, from 3 p.m., and the blessing will take place in the chapel of the same place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, followed by cremation.
Patrick Savatier was “extremely ill and hospitalized for several months”, according to Jean-Charles Nagou, technical supervisor at the association and close friend of Patrick Savatier. « We had good hopes that he would come out of it, but this morning the bad news fell, it had gotten worse“, he continues.
It is a monument of associative life and mutual aid that is leaving. We are overwhelmed and in shock. We don’t know how we’re going to do without him, because he was a lot of people’s mentor, he was my mentor. He saved families, he fought for poverty to end, and even if he is on top now, we will continue his fight. I saw him take shots when no one believed in him, but he believed in people. He was a very, very sweet and loving person.
Jean-Charles Nagou’s reaction to Réunion La 1ère:
Death of Patrick Savatier: Jean-Charles Nagou, guest of the Journal
This Friday morning, relatives and members of Momon Papa Lé La mourned the disappearance of this man of convictions. « Li la a lot of help from mone, especially those in great need« , said Wilson, one of them. « It’s a bit thanks to li today, but I was able to manage less“, he reacted.
Tristan Rodes, member of Momon Papa Lé La whom Patrick Savatier considered his right arm, is also affected by the sad news. « Knowing that he has left us, we do not know what will become of the association in the days to come. I hope that from above it will enlighten us“, whispered Tristan.
The Momon Papa Lé La association, created more than twenty years ago in Saint-André, has come to the aid of many destitute people. Patrick Savatier had been at the head of it since 2004. He had notably created a solidarity lodging in Salazie to welcome free of charge people who had no place to go, and regularly organized solidarity distributions of furniture, but also of food to people in distress, in all regions of the island.
A look back at Patrick Savatier’s journey in the Réunion La 1ère report:
In 2004, Patrick Savatier created Momon Papa Lé La to help those most in need. A look back at the committed life of this tireless associative activist.
« No one is safe from an accident in life« , said Patrick Sabatier. « We are only the vectors of the generosity of others. Every day we go looking for furniture, linen, crockery everywhere, which we redistribute for free“, he explained a few years ago during a report devoted to the action of Momon Papa Lé La and his many volunteers on Réunion La 1ère.
The world won’t change if we all live on our own, as we do, if we live on dilafé, on jealousy. The world can’t turn like that. We have come to the end of this world.
Patrick Savatier, Momon Papa Lé La
Patrick Savatier had also tried his hand at politics: in 2007, he ran for the legislative elections in the 5th constituency, winning 3.02% of the votes cast in the first round.
In March 2011, the associative activist also sought a seat on the general council, candidate for the cantonal elections, in the canton of Saint-André 2.
Then, in July 2018, he made another attempt at the legislative elections, this time in the 7th constituency after the resignation from office of Thierry Robert. « I want to be one of those who will definitely put out businessmen of all stripes who only defend their own interests. Being « daddy’s boy » or « brother of » should no longer be enough to be a candidate », he said then. It was without a label that he had wished to run for the seat of deputy, before finally withdrawing his candidacy and supporting that of Jean-François Nativel.