Created in 2011 by Franck Mesnel, Butterflies from Heaven is a non-profit association under the French 1901 law whose objective is to support children's education in Madagascar. It aims to provide educational, social and cultural support to children on Ile aux Nattes through sponsorship, partnerships, twinning programs, and the sending of educational and medical equipment, school supplies and clothing.
Built largely by students' parents, thanks to volunteers and donations from Maison Eden Park, Collège du Rocher, located on Ile aux Nattes (a small island south of Ile de Sainte-Marie), is the only middle school on the island and thus allows children to continue their schooling. With its 5 buildings, library, cafeteria and 9 teachers, it welcomes around a hundred students aged 9 to 17 each year.
"The priority of our actions is and will always remain the instruction and education of children while respecting their local culture, and drawing inspiration from the best global influences in this field. To support them, rugby is a very effective complementary tool", observes Franck Mesnel. "Knowledge means the reflection and perspective necessary for children to prepare their future and that of our planet in a responsible way."
"These are the essential reasons that motivated me to create Butterflies from Heaven, an association dedicated to supporting and developing projects in favor of education, transmitted first and foremost by the family and relayed by the school", explains the founder of Eden Park. "In this context, rugby can truly participate in transmitting certain values that allow people to evolve as a group and in harmony."
"As a rugby player, I was lucky enough to receive a lot of attention. It is in my culture and my duty to know how to pass it on in turn, by getting involved in maintaining the values that were instilled in me: team spirit, respect, commitment and rigor", summarizes Franck Mesnel. "These values are not new, they have existed since the origin of civilization and are just particularly highlighted by the collective contact sport that is rugby."
From Colombes to Auckland, and from Paris to Ile aux Nattes, Butterflies from Heaven is nothing other than a means for Franck Mesnel to pass on values, to give back to everyone a part of what he received as a privilege thanks also to Rugby, and to make known the virtues that had such an important impact on this "rebellious gentleman" by allowing him to create with his longtime teammate and friend a unique and different brand from others: Eden Park.
