M-Kids is a registered national NGO dedicated to alleviating the suffering of vulnerable children* and empowering them through multi-stakeholder programmes and activities, without discrimination, to create a bright future where every child can prosper.
MISSION
VISION
A group of teenagers, then led by a young Arshad, were anxious about the issues faced by some youths who were either getting lured by drugs or unable to pursue their studies due to extreme poverty.”
After watching their friends miss out on crucial steps of their lives, the group of youths started to raise awareness of substance abuse and child poverty in the area. This garnered attention from the local community, and interested sponsors and volunteers joined, turning the unofficial group into a grassroots community organisation.
Between 2002 and 2010, the teenagers and volunteers set up remedial classes to assist those who were lagging at school, distributed warm clothes and blankets to the less fortunate, provided school materials to vulnerable children, helped with house renovations, organised various capacity-building activities and educational outings for children and so on, without discrimination based on race, religion or gender.
Following their efforts, the youths finally registered in 2010 and became the M-Kids Association.
The work undertaken by the organisation continued to raise awareness and grabbed the public’s attention. Mr Arshad Joomun, the founder and Director of the Association, set up a board and continued to reach out to sponsors.
Today, the M-Kids Association continues to operate around the island and Rodrigues. The Association has a learning centre that is open every day without fail. Vulnerable children, many of whom hail from broken households (with parents incarcerated, unemployed, etc.), find a familiar place to turn to whether to catch up on their classes, learn new life skills through the varied polytechnic courses, or have a hot meal at least once a day.
The goal of the Association is to provide well-rounded facilities to assist those children and ensure that they have an equal chance while in school, ensuring that they are not lacking in any other way.
Recently, representatives of the Association have also reached out to fellow Rodriguan children and provided them with books and other materials that could aid them in their educational journey.
As of July 2022, twenty years after the first informal meeting, the Association has helped more than 10,000 individuals regularly, organised several thought-provoking activities, created multiple jobs for young, unemployed youths and women, as well as empowering the young generation through its actions, volunteer programmes, internships and employment.
About Our Beneficiaries
Our beneficiaries are vulnerable children and needy adults of all ages, races, religions, ethnicities, and genders.
The youngest beneficiary registered with M-Kids is four years old.
Currently, we have around 312 children registered with the M-Kids Association from Camp Chapelon, Vallée Pitot, La Butte, Pailles, Plaine Lauzun, Bain des Dames, etc.
We also have adults registered with the organisation who may receive assistance monthly. Our grown-up beneficiaries comprise sick people, the elderly, unemployed individuals due to a disability, young students with no funds to continue their education, people who have lost their houses to fires, etc.
M-Kids’ policy is to welcome beneficiaries of all ages, races, religions, ethnicity, and gender without discrimination.
*[1] According to NSIF, Vulnerable Children refer to individuals under the age of 18 who are living below or in absolute poverty, have a disability or a severe disease, are abused, neglected, abandoned, orphans, street children, teenage parents, children with incarcerated parents, in conflict with the law, out-of-school and illiterate, or suffering from substance abuse.
