It is not really a business… it is of course a way of earning a living but it’s much more than that. It is a whole “way of life”; it has become an “obsession” as he often says. When he speaks of nature, it seems as if he is talking about the woman of his dreams. “Nature has never let me down… And it never will. Nature is there forever! If life can play dirty tricks, nature never will!” His shops – he has four of them around the island – specialising in pictures which are compositions of pressed flowers and leaves, as well as decorative mirrors and bedside lamps, are just a continuation of his passion for nature.

You must have seen the Preskil shops if you’ve been to Super U at Belle-Rose or Grand-Bay or even in Pereybère… These three shops were set up about three years ago. Of course, they are part of the business. They convey that image of difference and creativity he wants to preserve above all. However, the newly-opened Jardin du Roy just across the road from the Pamplemousses Gardens is definitely his favourite.

The very fact that he decided to give this shop a different name shows how special it is for him. And the only explanation lies in the proximity of the Comptoir des Mascareignes shopping centre to the Pamplemousses Gardens (see inset). The latter is like an inexhaustible source of inspiration for his creative spirit…

“Man was born entrepreneur, society is responsible for turning him into a salaried employee”, Mr. Maujean says, quoting one famous French politician. This phrase translates the concept of the shop. He doesn’t accept any compromises on the way he manages the business. It is not a matter of making a lot of money at the expense of those very essentials which led him to set up his company, but only a matter of earning a decent living.

“I waited too long before starting to work with nature. For me, it is at the same time a creative and an entertaining activity.” But this die-hard nature-lover has not always been involved in such a business. He started his professional life in the free-zone sector, manufacturing watches. And even when he started his present business 25 years ago, it was very different from what it is now.

There were times when the company employed several hundred people- at the time it was only export-oriented. Now, things are different. They continue to export their products but on a far smaller scale. “Like in any export-oriented business, there is a time when sales decrease… For me, I must say, the problems that the company had to face turned out to have positive consequences…”

<B>Selected by Amnesty France</B>

He now has around thirty employees but points out they are highly skilled ones… Some have been there for 25 years, others for less. But all have kept up the spirit of Preskil. They do not sell souvenir products; they sell “invitations to dream”. Many of the shops’ customers are Mauritian people who have been living abroad for years and who are really impressed to see such products made and inspired by Mauritians. They find in them an expression of the ‘soul’ of the country.

The creations made by the company are indeed 100% hand-made by Mauritians from the very beginning to the last finishing touch. The women working in the shops may also create the products in front of customers – they can even make them “to special order”. The flowers and leaves used are either very common plants or even weeds (which can be found anywhere) to make sure the company is environment-friendly or those planted by the owner himself.

The spirit behind the concept of Preskil and the Jardin du Roy led to the company being contacted by Amnesty France recently. The main requirement for getting an order from Amnesty is that the products be 100% locally made, natural, environment-friendly and of a certain quality. The Mauritian company was unaware that it was being ‘vetted’ until it was informed that it had been selected by Amnesty… One of Mr Maujean’s greatest reasons for pride in his business…

<B>A “cultural” shopping center</B>

The Comptoir des Mascareignes has the aim of being more than just a shopping centre.. It was conceived of as the continuation of a visit to the Pamplemousses Gardens. Of course, the fact is that it is a shopping centre… However, the promoters have striven to make it a pleasant place for visitors who can continue their discovery of Mauritian plants and spices thanks to the “herbarium”, pamphlets and plant samples put at their disposal in the centre. Moreover, the shops established there have been carefully chosen to make sure they have a special cachet. The ox-drawn cart in front of the centre, which can take visitors for a ride around Pamplemousses, is also part of the charm of the visit!