“La vie dans la rue” is a study that allows us to better understand the reasons that can lead a person to end up on the street. Conducted with 102 homeless people, it undermines certain clichés.
Contrary to popular belief, many homeless people have jobs. According to the National Social Inclusion Foundation (NSIF) study, 52% of respondents said they were employed and paid. “They work as ‘helpers’, ‘cleaners’, street vendors, security guards, bricklayers, plumbers or painters. However, given the high cost of living, I am unable to pay the rent,” the document reads. The study also highlights the difficulties faced by the homeless in accessing food and hygiene.
The NSIF worked in collaboration with the Association for People in Tears, the Association of the Homeless of Father Laval, the night shelters of Caritas and the Group A of Cassis on the needs of this study entitled “Life in Street”. As part of the exercise, 102 homeless people were interviewed. In terms of age, they appear to be between 15 and 75 years old. In addition, 14% of homeless people surveyed say they have been living on the street for more than 10 years. “The reasons that lead to homelessness are many and varied: family conflicts (37%), divorce and separation (28%), drug addiction (25%), job loss (25%), poverty (22%) and alcoholism (22%),” states the study. Another noteworthy figure: 43% of those interviewed have already been imprisoned.
To remedy the problem, the report recommends, inter alia, the creation of a national policy and strategy to ensure better social protection for the homeless and a homeless observatory for better data collection to better respond to the problem of homeless. The study also highlights the need to review policies, regulations and administrative procedures to facilitate access to social assistance. Ironically, currently, in the absence of a fixed address, the homeless are deprived of many benefits offered by the authorities.
Vishal Ragoobur, Research and Development Manager of NSIF, insists that homelessness “is a complex socio-economic problem, which deserves greater attention and more decisive strategies”. Even the lack of accurate information does not help solve the problem. “Aside from ad hoc counts of homelessness by the police, there is no in-depth assessment of the homelessness issue in Mauritius. The 102 homeless people interviewed are those registered with NGOs. However, the victims of homelessness are much more numerous,” he complains.
