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DLD Teen Hope Project

The DLD Teen Hope Project is a dedicated catch-up school for boys and girls aged 12 to 16 who have dropped out of the traditional school system. Our centre, part of the ANFEN network, provides a supportive and nurturing environment for these adolescents. Most of the teenagers we cater for come from challenging social and financial backgrounds and have faced repeated academic failures, leading to low self-esteem. Addressing their unique needs is crucial to prevent them from falling into negative societal patterns. Our mission is to provide these young individuals with the educational support and personal development opportunities they need to rebuild their confidence and secure a brighter future.

 

Accreditation Number with the National Social Inclusion Foundation: NCSRF/2017/0418

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Services offered

The DLD Teen Hope Project operates from Monday to Friday, 9:30 AM to 3:00 PM, in the 'La Maison du Savoir' building at Cité La Cure. We offer weekly psychological sessions for the children, both in groups and individually, to support their emotional and mental well-being.

 

Our vision is to provide every adolescent with an education that includes literacy, numeracy, and essential life skills. This comprehensive approach aims to rebuild their self-esteem, making them employable and thereby contributing to the fight against poverty.

 

Our mission is to support vulnerable children who are subject to neglect and exposed to violence. We help them find their place in society and become responsible citizens.

 

Beneficiaries: The primary beneficiaries of the project are the teenagers who have been part of the DLD Teen Hope Project since its inception, along with their parents, who benefit financially as their children successfully integrate into the workforce. Currently, 84 teenagers are enrolled in our programme.

History

The DLD Teen Hope Project was initiated by Dolly Lamarque Duc, a nurse from Cité La Cure who passed away in 1995. As she was working in the local dispensary, she noticed that a significant number of girls were failing their C.P.E exams and, as a result, could not attend secondary school. Dr. Reshad Abdool, one of the initiators of the Teen Hope project at Plaine Verte, was also working at the dispensary at that time. Dolly shared her concerns with him and also contacted the Groupe Noyau Social of Cité La Cure to set the project in motion. Members of the Groupe Noyau Social each took responsibility for two or three streets, enabling them to compile a list of out-of-school children.

Initially focusing on girls, the project began accepting boys in 2001, especially those whose parents could not afford transport costs to other educational centres such as the Centre Idriss Goomany. Adolescents from the neighbourhood and surrounding areas attend the courses for three years. In 2016, the school celebrated its 20th anniversary, continuing its mission to support adolescents in the community.

Objectives
  • To address the needs of children from high-risk households, including single-parent families, reconstituted families, and families affected by issues such as drug and alcohol dependency, sex work, and physical or moral violence, and provide them with basic education and training.
  • To empower children to find work that suits their personalities and explore different job market opportunities while avoiding lifestyles choices that can be detrimental to both their personal health and societal well-being.
  • To build self-confidence in adolescents through a structured programme which includes:
    • Education: Following the ANFEN Non-Formal Education Curriculum with the aim to develop the diverse intelligences of adolescents.
    • Health and nutrition: Ensuring adolescents have access to healthy meals by providing breakfast and lunch.
    • Extracurricular activities: Organising bi-semester educational outings and participation in ANFEN's annual Sports Day and football tournament.
    • Employability/Entrepreneurship: Maximising adolescents' exposure to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Since October 2017, we have offered classes in bakery/pastry in our new "Ecole de Pâtisserie" along with electrical installation courses.
Main achievements
  • Making a significant difference in the lives of the young people we support.
  • Providing individualised care for each adolescent.
  • Establishing a partnership with the 'Projet Employabilité Jeunes' (PEJ) of the Fondation Espoir et Développement du Groupe Beachcomber, which prepares adolescents aged 17 to 20 for professional life.
  • Most students who have taken this course have found jobs for which they were trained.
  • To date, 90% of 16-year-olds who completed the PEJ programme have increased their chances of employment in the hospitality sector, having obtained certification approved by the MQA. Most succeed in the PEJ programme with high marks, achieving "Very Good" or "Excellent" in their evaluations.
Sources of funding
  • Currimjee Jeewanjee Foundation
  • Foundation CIEL Nouveau Regard
  • Groupe Filao

 

Number of Beneficiaries: Currently, 84 youngsters, aged 11 to 16, benefit from the Teen Hope project.