Movement Pour Le Progrès de Roche Bois’ (MPRB): To eradicate and alleviate poverty in the region of Roche-Bois

The Movement Pour Le Progrès de Roche Bois’ (MPRB) vision is to eradicate and alleviate poverty in the region of Roche Bois. The organization aims to achieve its goal through human rights education and leveraging those activities that target to improve the education (formal and non-formal) of the local populations. Furthermore, the organization creates a synergy among other non-governmental bodies in the region and act in a sustainable way to promote the social, economic and environmental development in the local vicinity.

MPRB was founded in July 1993, following a peaceful protest of the inhabitants of Roche Bois against the decision of the City Council of Port Louis to demolish a green area, a kindergarten and a playground for the erection of a municipal garage next to a garbage dump, which already caused a lot of inconvenience to the environment of Roche Bois. From this mobilization, awareness has developed among the inhabitants of Roche Bois resulting in a sense of responsibility for active participation in improving the socio- economic and political situation in the area.

The MPRB and its members decided that, in addition to organizing protests under the circumstances, to engage also in the working with the various authorities and institutions as well as economic operators and other neighbourhood associations to improve living conditions of the inhabitants of Roche Bois and surrounding areas.

The programme : Integrated Education Support Program for a Better Future 2019-2020

This project is built on the experience of previous programs and targets children from pre-primary, primary, secondary schools and adolescents who have dropped out of schools. The activities of the program are:

• Early Childhood Care and Community Support Program
  • Capacity building session for school educators
  • Counselling and therapy session for parents of 300 children
  • Setting up of an educational resource centre
• After School Primary Support program at MPRB Centre
  • Pedagogical classes and outing
  • Extracurricular activities
• After School Primary Support program at Emmanuel Anquetil Government School
  • Pedagogical classes and outing
  • Extracurricular activities
• Pedagogical & Social Support Program (Out of schools)
  • Basic Literacy courses
  • Numeracy classes
  • Wood carving activities
  • Art painting & Crafts classes
  • Gardening
  • Refreshments and lunch
  • Meetings with psychologist on a regular basis
  • Beneficiaries’ parents meeting with psychologist
  • Pedagogical outing

The actual beneficiaries of services are:

• 300 pupils of 10 pre-primary registered school of Roche-Bois
• 150 children of grade I to V of Emmanuel Anquetil Government school
• 50 recurrent beneficiaries of MPRB primary school support program.
• 20 recurrent beneficiaries of MPRB out of school program
• 380 Parents of children / beneficiaries

Partners of this project includes social workers, director of schools, teachers and parents.

The budget for the project is Rs 1,916,000 and the contribution of MPRB is Rs 144,000. The budget Is for everyone irrespective of gender.

Monitoring and evaluation is done through attendance sheets, psychological reports from a Psychologist and participation in activities. In addition, evaluation and feedback sheets are also used.