These Mauritians with noble hearts

They dedicate themselves completely to others; their time, their skills, their efforts, everything is pooled to help. During the Olympic Games, we could even compare them to the athletes who sacrifice themselves to promote the sport. However, these Mauritians do not receive medals or trophies, but rather the flame of altruism. They continue to fight for their ideals, and their courage warms the hearts of those they meet on their way. Yesterday, Humanitarian Aid Day was dedicated to them.

From Gaza via Madagascar to Mauritius, these Mauritians do not hesitate to personally participate in causes they believe are just. Nasser Hossenali is one such example. Since February, he has been present at the border of Arij in the north of the Sinai Peninsula. As the head of the Mauritian Association for Solidarity with the Poor, he works with the SSP Humanitarian Global Aid to provide food and drinking water to Gazans. However, he testified that in recent days the situation has become worse and has almost turned catastrophic. “It’s very difficult to get back to normal, especially because you never know when the bombs are going to stop falling.” Still on the Egyptian border, he did his best to provide supplies to those searching for food and water. “Even if the border is closed, we will try to bypass the authorities and import supplies.”

Serving the Poor

Nasser Hosenally confessed that he attributed this mission to his God. “This is a huge gift from Allah that allows me to serve the poor.” He said he treats all of his neighbors equally when it comes to helping them. “Religion must not interfere. What I started in Mauritius, I will continue this mission around the world. The aim is to help the poor. Sharing must be open to everyone.”

He thanked the Egyptian Red Crescent, UNICEF and the World Food Association for also providing support to the people of Gaza. “We have built five new wells with a capacity of 50,000 cubic metres of water. We continue to provide 25,000 hot meals a day.”

Like him, other Mauritians who have established themselves around the world do not hesitate to fully participate. One such example is Ravin Goonmeter, who has lived in Madagascar for 20 years. Ivandry, a member of the Rotary Club of Antananarivo, along with his wife Shekinah Goonmeter and his in-laws, declares: “Humanitarianism is part of our DNA.”

It also adheres to the seven strategic axes of Rotary International, which include promoting peace, fighting disease, providing drinking water, sanitation and hygiene, the health of mothers and children, and protecting the environment, to name just a few. “For 22 years, we have been working to bring smiles back to the people of Madagascar, 81% of whom live below the poverty line, on less than one euro a day. We work closely with the village chiefs (fokontany) to help the truly needy.”

It is true that the situation was difficult at times, but overall, beneficiaries said they were happy with the assistance they received. “While we only do part of the work, other NGOs and the government also contribute. Our funds are invested in sustainable grants and projects that make a real difference in people’s lives. We would like to do more, but everything depends on the funding and resources available.” It is worth noting that the Rotary region includes seven islands in the Indian Ocean. In Mauritius, there are also associations that support the poorest, such as the Resto du coeur d’Albion. Its representative, Tony Ah Yu, said that the initiative launched by Coluche in France is a very good idea.

Helping Children

Mauritius has already adopted this model. “We started the project during the 2020 lockdown, but the same team couldn’t focus on multiple locations at the same time.” That’s how Bambous’ new team was formed. “We also have a small initiative starting to emerge in Grand Baie””, Tony Ah Yu explained that regarding the Bambous team, one manager explained that one member of the team spent a year and a half at Albion to understand how the team operated before starting his own round. “Now she’s ready. It’s important to note that we focus primarily on single moms or moms with multiple children because our goal has always been to help the children.” Today, through scouting in the area, they know which families are in need and need help.