ALU Officially Opens Its New Campus: A Journey Of New Beginning & Endless Possibilities
In September, as returning students were making their way back and new students were being welcomed to ALU, we officially opened the doors to our new campus in Mauritius. This is one of our biggest achievement since we stepped foot on this beautiful island in 2015. Initially, the classes were held at Beau Plan Business Park, Pamplemousses and our students were accommodated in housing at Grand Baie and would commute to Beau Plan through scheduled transport provided by the school. This was the norm since 2015 until April of this year. But that is bygone now as since this April, all students were brought together into one beautiful space: our state-of-the-art campus which was officially launched last month. The campus represents a milestone for our students, a step forward for the continent, and a pride for us all.
The campus was launched with an enthusiastic ceremony that was graced by the presence of numerous dignitaries from the Mauritian Education and Political scenes including the Prime Minister, Honorable Pravind Jugnauth, who emphasized on the government’s intention to transform Mauritius into an “education hub” through quality higher education. Other notable speakers were Nicolas Maigrot, CEO of Terra, ALU’s partner in Mauritius, according to whom ALU is at the forefront of creating everlasting relationships between the African continent and the island. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who played a role in all the different junctures of this process, especially the Mauritian authorities who supported us with work permits and other procedures, and who have made it stress-free for our students to move to the country. The enthusiasm with which the inauguration took place was evidence of how well we have done to integrate into the culture of Mauritius while bringing many onboard our own culture.The inauguration event also featured few artistic performances. Renie Abu, a second year student and an aspiring artist from Ghana and Kevin Bofelo a third year student from Botswana, opened the event with a song from Renie’s new EP album which is titled The Coming. This is a song meant to inspire people to chase their dreams passionately despite obstacles. Towards the end of the event, the ALC dance group dazzled attendees with a mix of African dance moves as well as a saxophone performance by Giovani, a Mauritian artist who captivated hearts of many through his soulful performance.
This campus is the next step in our journey towards our mission of educating ~3 million African leaders in the next 6000 days, and we are more than happy to have you join us on this journey. With over 300 students in residence, the new campus boasts 238 fully equipped double rooms, a library, a quiet area, a socializing arena, and a bright and spacious cafeteria with breathtaking views of the sunset. The campus is constantly buzzing with energy, and the students love it. “The campus feels like home but is also a great environment to grow academically through access to resources and a platform for self and peer learning. There has not been a dull moment since we moved in,” testified Hellen, a founding member of the student body. The campus architecture is immersed in creative design – a perfect fusion of modern and tropical ambiance, with an intention to stimulate and inspire the students. No matter what part of the building they are in, the campus fits for the diverse range of activities our students constantly engage in.
Our new campus is, for many of us, an important step in our journey of new beginnings and endless possibilities.