Oak & Neem LTD – Community Programs

“Women in the community are trying to bring about change but we are limited by our accessibility to financial means and we need help in finding ways to promote our products.” (Case Study from Needs Assessment Session in Residences Kennedy, April 2015) After the participants have been explained the program the focus group reported feeling hopeful that if they do not have the means to launch their individual projects, they will find it easier and more sustainable if they launch it within the scope of OnN programs. If we evaluate women’s progression from the late 1970s in Mauritius to date, it is clear that gender inequality has come a long way. However, on the field, it is becoming clear that if the women are more dynamic outside of the house, they are also expected to fulfill their traditional duties. In many cases, expectations get in the way of their wellbeing and acts as a catalyst which results in growing mental health issues for women in the community. If we consider gender equality on economic terms, we can see the process as making an onward progress but if we look at it from a psychological perspective, we can say that this progress has been achieved at a price paid for in an emergence of a new cultural identity where the individual is learning to redefine himself within the new parameters which are constantly evolving. Best practice needs to keep up with this dynamism and propose programs which are solution focused with clear performance indicators defined by communities. In this sense, individuals within communities will experience a sense of ownership to the program and research demonstrates better outcomes within these conditions. Vulnerable populations are struggling to keep up with meeting their basic needs and hence are lagging behind on every social developmental front. This seems to have an impact on the social emotional climate of individuals and translates into disempowerment. In this sense it is important to redefine community programs which are effective in delivering the outcomes they promise from a more proximal approach.

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