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UPF and Affiliates Make a Difference in Mauritius
Written by Rev. Ruediger Graeber, advisor to UPF-Mauritius
Sunday, September 20, 2015
Port Louis, Mauritius—UPF and affiliated organizations have brought substantial benefits to Mauritius, according to a longtime UPF-Mauritius advisor.
Rev. Ruediger Graeber, who also works with UPF in Germany, visited the Indian Ocean island nation from September 5 to 20, 2015.
He observed that substantial foundations have been made in three areas: a Foster Children’s Project; Pure Love Education; and Good Relations with Other Organizations.
Foster Children’s Project
The Mauritian chapter of Women’s Federation for World Peace (WFWP), an organization that is affiliated with UPF, currently is helping 160 foster children from needy families.
Since 1999 WFWP-Mauritius has worked together with WFWP representatives from Japan to provide free tutoring for needy children.
In 2015 children were sponsored through the following ways: monthly cash grants; free tutoring in core subjects every Saturday at the Mauritius Institute of Education located at the University of Mauritius; values-based counseling; moral support and educating families during our meetings; home visits; educational outings during school holidays; sports and celebratory events; free medical screening in collaboration with a medical team from the global nonprofit medical organization PATH; drawing and essay competitions; and music classes.
The philosophy underlying this project is that all children have the potential to develop if they are given a helping hand. As a result of this project, a growing number of these students have gone on to study at university. One of them is living and working as a lawyer in London.
This work is only possible through the volunteer professional teachers who offer free tutoring to the students.
There are five main sources of financial support for this project. Among them is the largest insurance company in Mauritius – SISCOM – as well as the airport of Mauritius. Two smaller companies are very loyal to WFWP, to whom they have given financial assistance for many years. Another very generous donor gives his personal money to WFWP to sponsor children who wish to study at university. In return, those supported students offer free tutoring to other children every Saturday at the university.
WFWP keeps clear records (financial and narrative) of how the children are assisted and how each cent is spent. The sponsors meet regularly and are invited to join the different activities.
Rev. Graeber was asked to give a 30-minute talk to the children and teachers who had gathered one Saturday at the university. More than 120 people filled the room and listened to a lecture about internal and external growth, which combined the UPF Peace Principles and Rev. Graeber’s personal experiences.
Pure Love Project
The WFWP is regularly invited by the prime minister’s office and branches to give talks on parental education in different areas of the country.
The guests who come to these parental education talks are invited by the social welfare offices. Twenty to 40 persons are invited to each lecture.
Some of the lecture topics have been: “Love and Sexuality” for premarital counseling; “Sexuality in Marriage” for marriage enrichment; and “Love in Sexuality.”
Jessica Chung To is regularly invited to be the speaker. She and the WFWP are well known among officials and guests for their very interesting and informative talks.
Cooperation with Other Organizations
UPF and affiliated organizations have developed good relations with other organizations in Mauritius, in particular religious organizations. These organizations have included the Sri Sathya Sai World Foundation, the Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, the Roman Catholic Church, Islam and Hinduism.
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