Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
Planned for the full proposal phase.
Notable Community Participation
The exploratory phase of the project seeks to find out not only the environmental problems faced by the population but also to list possible solutions for local communities. It is beleived that the success of this project depends on the active participation of all the stakeholders (fishermen, pig breeders, unemployed school drop outs, etc?). Therefore, it is important to find out how the community understands their environment and their relationship to it (i.e.: cutting trees to make space for housing, waste disposal, protection of the environment, projects around environmental issues, etc.). The methodology for this project will include a brief survey where residents will be asked not only to define their current problems but also to propose possible solutions to overcome these. In addition, focus groups on Roche Bois and its environment will allow the NGO to bring different sections of the population together to discuss these issues and propose possible solutions. During this phase of the project, the NGO will also work with its different partners (church, local NGO's, private sector and other members of the civil society) to identify their participation to any possible projects, both financial and social.
Project Results
Survey report:
MPRB / GEF SURVEY IN ROCHE BOIS ? RELANDSCAPING PROJECT
PRELIMINARY REPORT
I. Context
The Ministry of Local Government, along with the Ministry of Environment have decided to rehabilitate the old Waste Site and Quarantaine in Roche Bois and to transform these adjoining areas into a single ?green area? where residents and visitors will be able to practice sports and outdoor leisure activities.
The proposed Roche Bois green area / sports & leisure complex will be located immediately behind the Terre Rouge Rivulet Estuary, which harbours the national Bird Sanctuary. The sanctuary ranks as one of the most important natural heritage sites found in Mauritius. With the setting up of a green area, the national Bird Sanctuary will become a significant attraction for visitors and tourists. The site?s potential as an eco-tourism destination can be used to drive a number of sustainable income-generating activities.
In order to make the project truly beneficial to the local community, a local non-governmental organisation working for the social advancement of Roche Bois, the Mouvement pour le Progrès de Roche Bois, is asking Government and Local Authority agencies to fully take onboard the needs and constraints of local residents during the design stage of the proposed green area / sports & leisure complex.
Those local needs and constraints are to be identified by the present survey work. Carried out thanks to funding provided by the United Nations? Global Environment Fund Small Grants Programme.
II. Goals and Organisation of the Survey
The survey will focus on identifying :
o the needs & constraints of the local community regarding access to the future complex,
o sustainable income-generating opportunities deriving from eco-tourism activities,
o environment education programmes informing on the national Bird Sanctuary heritage and waste site rehabilitation processes.
Data collection for the survey is being done through two channels:
· a semi-qualitative questionnaire with a representative sample of the Roche Bois community. 500 people were interviewed between November and December 2004. Data input is nearly completed. Preliminary results are presented in this document based on data obtained from 143 questionnaires inputted.
· focus group work with relevant sub-groups (pig-breeders, fishermen, etc.) and local community stakeholders (businesses, schools, community-based organisations). A meeting will be held on Friday 22nd April, hosted at the Freeport of Mauritius in Mer Rouge.
III. Preliminary Questionnaire Results
Results and analysis presented below are subject to change as they reflect only the content of roughly one third of the sample interviewed. The complete results and analysis will be presented on Friday 22nd April.
1) General Awareness and Perceptions :
Only 18.9% of the people in Roche Bois are aware of the upcoming sports & leisure complex project.
64.3 % of the people in Roche Bois do not know that the National Bird Sanctuary is found in their locality.
82.5 % of the people are not aware that the Terre Rouge Rivulet Estuary is a protected site. 72.1 % feel it has little or no value.
2) Profile of the People Interviewed
In accordance with our sampling methodology (quota method), people were selected on the basis of their age group and activity status.
It emerges that in majority the people interviewed are from low to mid-incomes and low education backgrounds:
Rs 2501 ? Rs 5000 per month: 19.1% of the sample
Rs 5001 ? Rs 7500 per month: 24.4% of the sample
Rs 7501 ? Rs 10000 per month: 31.3% of the sample
TOTAL 74.8%
Never went to school 15.5%
Attended primary school but failed at the CPE examination 22.5%
Passed the CPE but did not pursue their education 19.7%
Did not go further than Form III in secondary education 14.8%
TOTAL 72.5%
3) Main Issues & Concerns in the Community Expressed by the Inhabitants
Regarding the issues plaguing the community, the local inhabitants overwhelmingly identified ?drugs? as the major problem affecting Roche Bois. Alcoholism, crime, prostitution and unemployment came out second.
94.4 % of the people interviewed rated the drugs problem as being severe in Roche Bois. Also rated as severe issues in Roche Bois: unemployment (84.6 %), crime (81.8%), alcoholism (88.8%), poverty (83.9%), prostitution (90.2%), school failure (87.4%), lack of leisure activities for young people (81.1%).
However, 48.3% believed that over the past 5 years the overall situation in Roche Bois had improved. Only 27.3% felt that the overall situation had worsened, whereas
18.2% claimed it had not changed.
Concerning faith in the future, 53.9% believed Roche Bois would be a better place in 5 years time. 18.2 % said it would stay the same. Only 14% felt the overall situation would worsen.
46.9 % said SMEs in Roche Bois have developed over the past 5 years, with 37.8% saying the contrary.
4) Environmental Awareness and Local Environmental Issues
89.5 % of the people interviewed said there were many pollution problems in Roche Bois.
Careless dumping of litter by the inhabitants themselves was identified as the main pollution problem (60.8%).
Second is the pollution caused by the garbage lorries and the waste transfer station (53.1%). Third: traffic from the highway (52.3%). River pollution came fourth (38.2 %). Pig breeding activities came out only 7th (31.5 %), after factory pollution and cutting down of trees.
Overall, opinions were split regarding the amount of pollution experienced in Roche Bois over the past 5 years. 30.1 % said pollution had gotten worse. 28 % felt the situation today is similar to the one which existed 5 years ago. 29.4% believed that there is less pollution today.
However concerning faith in the future, if 20.3% believed the situation would still be the same, 59.5% said there would be less pollution in Roche Bois in 5 years time.
5) Local Perceptions regarding the Estuary and Ecotourism opportunities
98 % of the people interviewed said local inhabitants know nothing or not enough about the Estuary.
95.8% of the people interviewed wanted to know more.
Concerning ecotourism opportunities, 85.4% of the local inhabitants believe that tourists would be interested to come and visit the Bird Sanctuary area. 84.7 % also felt that the site would attract Mauritian visitors as well. 88.1 % said this would bring opportunities for local businesses.
Asked if Roche Bois? bad reputation would discourage tourists and visitors, opinions were nearly equally divided. 47.6 % disagreed, whereas 52.5 % believed the locality?s bad reputation would limit the amount of people coming to visit the area.
6) Leisure Activities in Roche Bois
66.4% of the people interviewed do not practice any sports or leisure activity. A further 16.1% more say they only rarely do so.
Only 17.5 % said that they regularly practice a sports and leisure activity.
The main sport activity is football, followed by basketball, volleyball and athletics. Music is the main art activity, followed by dancing.
Nature activities (trekking etc) are practiced by only 2.1% of the people interviewed.
62.5 % of the people interviewed say they have no spare time during which to practice a sports and leisure activity.
The lack of training facilities is the second obstacle preventing people from practising a sports and leisure activity.
7) Sports & Leisure activities for Women
78% of the people interviewed say there are not enough sports and leisure activity available to women.
According to the people interviewed, volleyball, walking and swimming are the main sports that should be strengthened.
Dancing, yoga / meditation and theatre are the main art activities that should be strengthened.
The lack of security (33.3%) is the main problem barring women from correctly practicing sports and leisure activities. Lack of training grounds and personnel are the other main issues mentioned (15.8% and 14%).
8) Sports & Leisure activities for Young People
72.5% of the people interviewed say there are not enough sports and leisure activity available to young people.
According to the people interviewed, football, volleyball, basketball, swimming and athletics are the main sports that should be strengthened.
Music and dancing are the main art activities that should be strengthened.
