Education

FMH believes that Education plays a key role in reducing poverty and it is vital to step up efforts to give underprivileged people a better chance for a decent and fulfilling life. By supporting NGOs in the field of education and by sharing our expertise to train the beneficiaries in different areas (agriculture, communication, human resources, etc.), we help develop the skills the people need to improve their livelihoods, to generate productivity gains that can fuel economic growth. Five NGOs in the educational sector are being supported by the FMH during this financial year:

• Ecole Familiale de l’Ouest (Bambous) - Alternative education for students who are outside the local mainstream educational system. The programme includes work placement in private companies to develop employability as well as entrepreneurial activities such as agriculture and poultry.
• Centre d’Amité (Camp La Pailles, Bambous) – A pre-primary school annexed to a nursery catering for vulnerable groups of the region.
  Quartier de Lumière (La Valette, Bambous) – Centre “La Ruche” at La Valette, an educational project for children of the vicinity for their physical, emotional, social, linguistic and intellectual development setting them on a path of lifelong achievement.
• Institut Cardinal Jean Margéot – Les Amis de Zippy, the programme for the social and emotional wellbeing of Std II students. They learn how to cope with everyday difficulties, to identify and talk about their feelings and to explore ways of dealing with them.

Environment

Besides the group’s initiatives to protect the environment and go green in our day-to-day business, the FMH also supports external environmental actions. Through the FMH, the Medine Distillery partners with the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation since 2011 for the conservation of the endemic birds, the Pink Pigeons. Our total contribution to date is Rs 1,130,000.

Entrepreneurship

The FMH supports the Government’s initiatives to promote entrepreneurship locally. The FMH has provided loans to some 25 entrepreneurial projects in the west through its Medine Entrepreneur Scheme. While this scheme has terminated in 2014, the FMH still believes that entrepreneurship is a way of alleviating poverty being a key to economic development and to higher standard of living.

Anges pour Elles, a newly born association, currently receives the help of the FMH to empower women in their entrepreneurial ventures in terms of monitoring, coaching and giving them access to an online platform for sharing of information and promoting their business / products. Medine is also leasing a building at Bambous for running part of Localhands’ project, a handicraft association for craft workers to derive an income from traditional Mauritian handicraft techniques.

Sports and Arts

Sports & Arts are important for building confidence and unleashing creativity from within as well as inculcating lifelong values. The FMH strongly believes that Sports and Arts can positively impact the self-development of individuals.

• Bambous Martial Art & Sports – Helps Martial Arts athletes to elevate their level of training and give good performance during national and international competitions.
• Curepipe Starlight Sports Club – Youngsters’ initiation to Handball and training for national and international competitions.
  Lindsay Moothien - Theatre Presentation by secondary schools.

Social Housing

Social Housing is one of the five priority areas of the Fondation Medine Horizons to respond to housing needs of the western population of the island (Medine’s catchment area). Under the social housing sector, the FMH has collaborated with Le Pont du Tamarinier in 2007 for the rehousing of 42 families of Rivière Noire in the Tamarinier Village and has further supported the community development programme meant to empower the villagers. Medine has also donated 79.05 acres of land to the Government under the 2000 acres of land scheme, a global commitment taken through the MSPA following the Sugar protocol in 2007. The company is ready to further contribute to the social housing project by providing its own expertise and NGOs’ support to ensure the continuous empowerment of the communities that will be rehoused.

Other Projects

Our People

The Fondation Medine Horizons also manages grants and own projects at the group level in line with its established objectives. With the involvement of its Business Units and volunteers from the whole group, the FMH provides support to associations, individuals or groups in difficult situations. The FMH also leads a community project, La Promenade de Medine, a public leisure park with picnic areas, a children playground and jogging tracks. The Medine Scholarship Scheme for children of our employees is allocated yearly under certain criteria. Two types of bursaries are assigned: 3 for those moving from CPE to secondary level, 3 for those who are enrolling a technical school. These scholarships are renewed under certain conditions including the students’ overall academic performance.

Socio-Economic Development

Through financial and in-kind contributions, FMH supports NGOs working towards the social integration of vulnerable groups. Three such NGOs are currently being helped.

• Association Kinouete (Palma) – Helps in the social reintegration of female ex-detainees and counsels current detainees through regular visits to prisons. Medine is leasing a plot of land with the NGO at Palma for running the project.
• Caritas SEED Visitation, Vacoas – Provides help to people in extreme poverty through counselling and emergency assistance.
• Lovebridge - Supports and empowers families who are under the poverty threshold to improve their quality of life and help them to gradually aspire to become less vulnerable, and to lead an autonomous and more satisfying life. Medine is leasing a space at Medine Mews to the NGO for meeting purposes.