The Prime minister was attending, on Wednesday, the 30th anniversary celebrations of the local NGO, Mouvement pour le Progrès de Roche Bois (MPRB), in the presence of the Minister of Energy and Public Utilities, Mr Georges Pierre Lesjongard, Members of Parliament, and other eminent personalities.
In his speech, Pravind Kumar Jugnauth commended the MPRB for its exemplary track record in sensitising parents and children in Roche Bois on the importance of education, in raising awareness on human and civil rights, in encouraging residents’ participation in the development of their community, and in empowering vulnerable members of the localities through training and poultry farming, among others. Collaboration among the public and private sectors, civil organisations, NGOs and the population is key in ensuring successful outcomes in the fight against poverty, he added.
According to Mr Jugnauth, a global approach was crucial in tackling poverty, hence the reforms brought to the Corporate Social Responsibility since 2016 leading to more focused and targeted efforts, within defined set of parameters and criterion. He recalled that the reforms ensured that funds are now being allocated judiciously namely for poverty alleviation and educational support for families listed in the Social Register of Mauritius. He also spoke of the role of the National Social Inclusion Foundation in receiving funds and allocating same to registered NGOs undertaking programmes and projects for the benefit of the poor and vulnerable groups.
The measures and schemes implemented by Government to alleviate poverty and advance the education of children from vulnerable families such as the launch of the Marshall Plan Against Poverty and the establishment of the Social Register of Mauritius were also brought up by the Prime Minister. He listed out the upcoming initiatives announced in Budget Speech 2023-2024 to support the most vulnerable of society, namely the increase of the income threshold of households under the Social Register of Mauritius from Rs 10 500 to Rs 14 650, and the provision of Rs 594 million in the current financial year for various social allocations and allowances.
Stressing the fundamental factor of parental support for the successful education of their children, the Prime Minister made an appeal to parents to avail of the educational opportunities being provided by Government. He thus underlined the responsibilities of parents in being involved in the education process of their children as it starts within the very first days of a child’s life.
