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Mo Bizness
X MoBiznessisamicro-incubatorfor small businesses that forms part of
Leave No One Behind. This European Union-funded initiative involves some
50 beneficiaries. The aim is to boost entrepreneurship by training people from vulnerable backgrounds who want to start their own business in the 5 regions where ENL Foundation is active: Pailles, Grand River North West, L’Escalier, Alma and Résidence Sainte Catherine.
Access to support is a vital aspect but the potential and desire to succeed of the aspiring entrepreneurs is just as important. One of the beneficiaries, Christelle René looks back over her long-held dream with her husband, which could not materialise due to lack of confidence. “Above all, this training completely changed us as people. Our first session was about life skills. At the beginning, we were wondering about the usefulness of the module. But it is actually what made my husband change his mind on the risks of embarking
on this journey,” she says. Driven
by their motivation, the couple then received a holistic one-year training in management, accounting, marketing and entrepreneurship. They ultimately opened their restaurant, Garden Grill, in August 2011.
This sharing of resources and knowledge opens up new avenues and proves that the Mauritian people can join forces and work together to overcome the most difficult challenges. P
La Poule pondeuse
X Good citizenship has a promising future judging by this programme, which arose from a pressing need to help families experiencing financial difficulties to feed themselves. A number of them were provided with laying hens to start
a self-sufficiency programme. They can also earn an income from selling the surplus eggs.
A fantastic chain of collaboration has thus been put in place. The foundation received help from social workers and a consultant to identify families to join the programme. La Poule Pondeuse is fully sponsored by the MyENL Solidarity Covid Fund, which collects contributions from ENL employees.
The project was launched in November 2020 with 5 families in Résidence Sainte Catherine. Ten other families from Alma and L’Escalier received eight laying hens each in March 2021. And 25 more families in Grand River North West and L’Escalier joined the programme in July 2021. P
associations
ENL Foundation’s citizen solidarity and coaching initiatives
As we near the end of a year wrought with challenges and emotions, here is a quick roundup of initiatives that have positively impacted many people. Among the many programmes implemented by ENL Foundation, two unusual structures – La Poule Pondeuse and Mo Bizness – can be seen as messages of hope.
60 MOKAZINE / NO 3 / 2021