At a glance: Mauritius

Real lives

A Second Chance for Danette

© UNICEF/Mauritius

Danette (second from left), works on a car with a fellow mechanic

The future seemed bleak and directionless for the 600 illiterate Rodriguean adolescents who did not continue their education after finishing primary school.

Danette, now 17, was one of those adolescents in Rodrigues, an island located 574 km east of Mauritius. She failed the end of primary education examinations (CPE) twice, despite spending six years in primary school. She was unable to read or write and found herself at home all day with few prospects.

The Basic Education for Adolescents (BEFA) project was launched in 1996, with the objective of providing these young people with a second chance to benefit from primary education. The project was initiated by the Rodrigues administration in collaboration with the non-governmental organization, Rodrigues Council of Social Services (RCSS), and with UNICEF technical and financial support.

When she heard about BEFA, Danette was determined to seize this new opportunity to learn. At first, she attended BEFA classes for three hours a week in a small room in the trainer's house. When BEFA centres were established a year later, she went to classes three days a week.

Danette enjoyed the peer learning approach in the classes - the trainer was a young adolescent who had just completed secondary school - along with the participatory and experiential methods used.

Not only was she acquiring knowledge, but she was also gaining values and skills that would serve as a foundation for life-long learning. She felt that at last her learning had real meaning.

BEFA also organized an exchange programme with other young people in Rodrigues. Danette had felt isolated from her peers after she failed her examinations and she had no friends except for a small group in her neighbourhood. The exchange programme enables young people like Danette to share their experiences, hopes and fears with each other.

Upon completion of the basic courses, Danette learned about a three-month workplace internship. This was the second phase of the BEFA project: a Professional Integration programme aimed at encouraging young adolescents to discover their professional interests.

Danette's dream was to become a car mechanic despite the fact that, in Rodrigues, this was exclusively a boys' domain. She was overjoyed when her request to spend three- months in a garage was approved.

Although she was the only girl in the garage she did not feel awkward and immediately became part of the team. She spent long hours watching the garage owner and his mechanics repairing car and adjusting engines and radiators. Since the Professional Integration programme Danette has become determined to be a mechanic and has worked hard to acquire the professional skills.

Now 17, Danette is a mature adolescent with a clear vision of her future career in Rodrigues. She feels that she can make a personal contribution to the development of her island - a far cry from the bleak days before BEFA provided her with a fresh start.