Safire: Re-insertion and rehabilitation of homeless children in Mauritius

Safire’s main goal is to contribute to the protection and rehabilitation of homeless children in Mauritius, preventing them from falling prey to the vices of society. It aims to reintegrate those children in their community, highlighting the necessity to acknowledge and respect their human rights.

Homeless children face countless problems such as being forced to drop out from academic institutions from an early age, which further leads to economic exploitation, sexual exploitation and potential lapse into drugs. Safire’s main goal is to contribute to the protection and rehabilitation of homeless children in Mauritius, preventing them from falling prey to the vices of society. It aims to reintegrate those children in their community, highlighting the necessity to acknowledge and respect their human rights.

Safire implements a range of activities for the empowerment of street children and this includes: approaching children in their immediate environments; creating a pedagogical space, which acts as an alternative to street-life ensuring that those children gain access to education and; using the power of sports to protect, respect, and support those children.

One of the major wins of Safire has been that the children demonstrated a regular attendance and participation during the activities. Hence, the process of imparting societal and educational norms was easily carried out. Also, the beneficiaries gain a certificate of participation towards the end of the program, which further motivates their involvement. Additionally, the program provided opportunities for the beneficiaries to visit concerned enterprises and were eligible for internships, hence facilitating their inclusion in the professional sphere.  Safire aims to build a ‘Break-Away’ home at Verdun, another safe space for these children in the hope that current measures can help children as well as sensitize the family members in their immediate environment on their rights and needs, with the aim of improving their behavioural tendencies.