Movement Forces Vives is a well known dynamic non-governmental organization (NGO) that primarily fights for the eradication of poverty at the Residence of Bethlehem, Rose Belle. This community is one of the 229 pockets of poverty of our country.
The Mouvement Forces Vives, Quartier EDC, Rose-Belle was founded on 23rd February 2000 by concerned residents of the locality.
We make ourselves available to the community through various programs, for example
- Improving the standard of education of students through afterschool classes and
- Improving existing housing stock and the construction of better standards houses for the poor
- training for women and adolescents
- The promotion of art, culture and sports.
Since 2011 we have been faced with a significant increase in our beneficiaries.
The problems faced by the community are varied and many. We cannot fix everything; however, we strive to promote education and training for the vulnerable in this community.
The residents in this impoverished community have similar aspirations to Mauritians at large. One of the challenges the residents face is that they have much less resources and opportunities - they live in a volatile environment and generally try to survive on a low income, below what is recognised as adequate to live modestly (sufficient food, precarious accommodation, many families under one roof, shortage of adequate clothing and lack of amenities etc..).
Our NGO tries to work with members of the community of all age groups for their welfare. We aim to change the depressing circumstances through our education programmes.
Education is vital in reducing poverty, a key to personal development and empowering the community.
Access to education has long been considered an important route out of poverty and we place much importance in raising the standards of the sixty students, with mixed abilities, from primary schools and colleges. We take this opportunity to provide a nutritious snack to the students as their food intake is less than adequate.
We also support about forty ladies of mixed age through education; gaining new skills, sharing the ones they have and learning how they could raise the low income of their household as the rate of sustained employment is unpredictable.
We also aim to break the monotony of daily lives of the residents, children, youths, women and men through a variety of social activities.
We also work with families who need help with financial problems and those whose circumstances and daily experiences strain family relationships.
‘Movement Forces Vives’ has a dynamic executive board that steers the NGO’s activities and the coordinator/administrator has its full support.