OMAT Project in Mauritius 

1.   Relevance of the Action

General presentation and analysis of the problems and their interrelation at all levels

While the Government of Mauritius has initiated strategies and implemented policies to promote free education, free transport, and means to combat poverty, the obscenely rich are getting richer and the vast majority of the population are working harder and becoming steadily poorer and more stressed. “The unskilled employees and the work shy, the poor and the socially excluded see no point in developing a work ethic” Professor Sam Lingayah Sept 2000. However, “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…...” 

This famous meditation of John Donne's puts out an essential message: that people are not isolated from one another, but that mankind is interconnected.  In a report, published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on 30^th May 2008, it was suggested that crime may be low in the Balkans (Former Yugoslavia and Albania) because there is not so much of a gap between rich and poor. " "Social Inequities give rise to a sense of relative deprivation, which can be used to justify both property and violent crime." It says.  

The truth of this statement was brought to us from the comments of the “2007 lauréates” – women being more attuned to what is going on around them – all talked of their fear of violence, in the words of Esha Gopee " C'est tout un pays qui souffre ", the importance and value of education and their wishes for a more balanced social structure.

Specific problems to be addressed by the action

Higher unemployment, higher cost of living, higher infant mortality, higher primary education drop-out rate and lower literacy and living standard than other Mauritian people leading to alcoholism, drug taking, and the lowering of the moral standards of people.  There appears also to be a general societal blind spot about acknowledging the existence and impact of racism, fraud, and corruption.

Entrenched poverty often reflects the absence of the supporting structures and constructive relationships which help people to stand on their own feet and which are the foundation of aspiration, ambition and hope. Duncan Smith of the Conservatives Social Justice Policy Group ( United Kingdom ) also argues that the issues of crime, deprivation, drugs, alcoholism, debt, illiteracy, hopelessness, crime, and the collapse of local communities cannot “be understood until the collapse of the family is taken into account.” It is up to the community at local level to involve, advise, and empower the population to take advantage of available resources.

Target groups and final beneficiaries

1. The nursery school will be for children from three onwards until expertise and skills are gained when entrants’ age can be lowered.  Mothers benefit as a direct result.

    

2. The education programme is currently limited to primary school children but, once equipment such as computers, are available, facilities will be available to a wider range of people, including those wishing to gain work skills.

    

3. The sports activities will be aimed at children of both sexes and young adults. Older adults will be able to attend keep fit classes and aerobics.

       4.     Information Technology will be open to all interested parties, but however, we anticipate

         a higher  response from secondary school children and students attending tertiary education.

5. Economic activities are for adults only, although they may be helped by their children within the confines of employment law. 

Relevance of the proposal to the needs and constraints of the target groups/final 

1. Children, women, and ultimately the family as a whole, will benefit as mothers can rejoin the work market and raise their families’ standard of living.

    

2. We aim to raise the standard of education and provide role models in education among the children of Cité Malherbes

    

3. Sport and play activities ensure significant levels of participation by individuals and communities, which traditional humanitarian and development approaches cannot necessarily achieve with such success.

    

4. The aim is to enable children and young adults to acquire skills, which will help them to get jobs

    

5. The objectives of the proposed action will be to encourage local people to participate and even lead in the set up of social enterprises and micro-manage their affairs and their future.