Mauritius: Jacqueline Dursoniah

For the love of people and service to others.

Jacqueline Dursoniah is 56 years old and is a social worker. She is the founder member of the Non-Government Organisation (NGO) named Civic Action Team situated in Pailles. Jacqueline is currently President of the NGO. The main activities of the association are: Social Services and socio-economic development projects.

Jacqueline discovered her passion and love in helping needy people voluntary at a very young age. She was 19 years old when she started actively to support and help needy people. When she says needy people, she implies “people living in poverty, women suffering from gender based violence, teenage mothers, needy single mothers, old people, youngsters, adolescents- in general all vulnerable groups”. Her father Joseph Raymond Dursoniah is the one who has inspired her in helping people. She gives support to people when there are any natural disasters like cyclone, flood… etc. She acts like a coordinator. Sponsors, Companies, Volunteers reached out to her to coordinate the distribution of basic needs during disasters. Apart from offering help to needy people, she also acts like counselor and trainer.

During the last cyclone Berguitta, the 56 yearold women has been helping 77 families in Pailles. Being the President and founder member of the NGO Civic Action Team, she said that there was a lack of commitment from the Ministers and disorganization in some intuitions that were supposed to help the needy people. She said that she was very angry by the way the Minister of Social Security Etienne Sinatambou talked on that day. Thus, she came forward as usual to welcome the people and give them full support. She was there in Pailles to help the volunteers and companies who came to donate food, drinks or any other items to the people affected by the cyclone. This is not new to the people living in Pailles, as she is reputed as “sauveur”. In 2013, when Mauritius was affected by heavy rain causing flood, Jacqueline was there to give her support and help. She intervened strongly to make sure all people were safe and were having the basic need

Jacqueline wants to eradicate poverty in the region of Pailles- Many sponsors like Maurel, Grewals came frequently to her office to offer basic needs to people in this region. She acts like a coordinator and make sure these items reached the needy people. In 2017, Jacqueline and her Executive members of Civic Action Team have been working in collaboration with the Ministries, Members of Parliament of Constituency of No1 and decision makers to try finding a solution for the drain issues in Pailles.She also worked in collaboration with Police Force on the Road Safety program on regional level. Her pictures were even published in the Police Force magazine. She provided her insights on road safety to police tasks force.

Jacqueline believes that working for the needy people is not only a social work but her love and care convert that into a profession for her.