5. Activities/Services
provided
a) Scholarship
Award Ceremony
Every
year, the Fund awards Scholarships to fishermen’s children who out perform at
examinations in both Rodrigues and Mauritius.
The
Scholarship Scheme was first introduced in 1991 by the Government. The aim behind was to provide assistance to
children of fishermen with good academic aptitude to emerge and to eradicate
poverty in the fisher’s community.
The
Scheme was managed by the then Ministry of Fisheries and later passed over to
the Fishermen Welfare Fund upon its enactment. Following the introduction of 9
Years Basic Continuous Education, the Scholarship Scheme was revisited.
At
present, a total of 168 Scholarships are available. The Scholarship Scheme is
devised in such a manner that no children of fishermen are laid off of any Educational
Streams.
Details
are as follows: -
|
|
|
Categories
|
Revised Stipends
|
|
Scholarship per category
|
Details
|
Duration
|
MRU
|
BNK
|
ROD
|
Total
|
Monthly (Rs)
|
Yearly (Rs)
|
|
Post PSAC – NS
|
Academic - Normal Stream
(Grade 7 to 9)
|
3 years
|
27
|
4
|
10
|
41
|
500
|
6,000
|
|
Post PSAC - ES
|
Extended Stream
|
4 years
|
9
|
2
|
4
|
15
|
500
|
6,000
|
|
Post NCE
|
Grade 10 to 11
|
2 years
|
36
|
6
|
14
|
56
|
500
|
6,000
|
|
Post SC
|
Grade 12 to 13
|
2 years
|
15
|
4
|
6
|
25
|
1,000
|
12,000
|
|
Post HSC
|
Diploma, Degree and Professional Qualification
|
Up to 4 years
|
7
|
2
|
5
|
14
|
2,000
|
24,000
|
|
Vocational
|
NC 2 - 3 or equivalent
|
Duration of Course
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
500
|
6,000
|
|
Vocational or Polytechnic
|
NC 4 - 5 and/or equivalent
|
Duration of Course
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
1,000
|
12,000
|
|
Vocational or Polytechnic
|
NC 6 and/or Onwards or equivalent
|
Duration of Course
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
2,000
|
24,000
|
|
Post Graduation
|
Post graduate course
|
Up to 2 years
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
5
|
2,500
|
30,000
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
168
|
|
|
To
date, several children of fishermen have benefited from the Scholarship Scheme
of the Fund.
Click: to view Application for Scholarship Scheme
b) Financial
Assistance for Fishermen Family in Distress
An
amount of Rs 15,000/= is granted to the family of fishermen lost at sea in three
installments of Rs. 5,000/= to cater for the basic need of the family. If the
body is recovered the whole amount is paid once. Besides, their cases are
referred to the Social Security, National Solidarity and Reform Institutions for
social aid and Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare for counseling
purposes and additional assistance.
c) Financial
Assistance for Accidentally Damaged Boats.
At
present an amount of Rs 10,000/= is provided to a fisherman whose fishing boat is
accidentally damaged at sea during work.
This
assistance is provided so that the fisher can resume work at its earliest.
d) Sick
Allowance
A
registered fisherman is eligible to a financial assistance of Sickness
Allowance whenever he is hospitalized for a minimum of 3 days to a maximum of
14 days. The hospitalisation for chronic disease which requires the fisher for
regular hospitalisation is excluded for the consideration of sickness
allowance.
Besides,
the fisherman’s case is referred to the Ministry of Social Integration, Social
Security and National for consideration for social aid. The present daily rate for
Sickness Allowance is Rs. 650/=.
e) Winter
Allowance
The
Fund also manages a Contributory Scheme for the Bank Fishermen. The mechanism
of the scheme is that the Fishermen Welfare Fund, the Fishing Operators and the
Bank Fishermen each contribute Rs.2,000/= per fisher yearly to the scheme. Then, the Fishermen Welfare Fund pays the
total sum to the Bank Fishermen in three equal installments during the month of
July, August and September as Winter Allowance. This Scheme is conditional on
contribution made by eligible fishers.
f) Maternity
Allowance.
The
Fund manages a Maternity Allowance Scheme under which it grants a one-off
maternity allowance to a registered fisherwoman who has given birth to a child.
The allowance meets the basic needs of the family and contributes towards the
health of the mother and the child. The quantum is Rs. 30,000/= payable at
once.
g) Funeral
Grant.
This
payment aims to assist the family members of the deceased fisher to meet the
expenditure for the funeral of the demise fisher and to give the family time to
adjust to the new situation.
The
quantum is Rs.5,000/= paid one-off.
h) Hardship Scheme
Under this Scheme a registered fisherman is
given a one-off financial assistance of Rs. 10,000/- when he has suffered loss
following natural calamities, outbreak of fire, when the fisher is seriously
injured or has to attend private hospital for urgent surgery.
i) Computer Scheme
The
Scheme has been introduced in Financial Year 2023-2024 under which the
Fishermen Welfare Fund provides a financial assistance of Rs. 15,000/- to each
Post HSC scholars for the purchase of a computer which will help them to follow
courses on zoom and preparation of their dissertation.
i) Organisation
of Events
The
Fund every year organises a minimum of two events.
-World Fisheries Day-
A Wreath Laying Ceremony and Inter-Religious prayers on 21st
November each year at the public beach of Le Morne village in memory of fishers
who have disappeared at sea during their work.
-A
Scholarship Award Ceremony for selected scholars.
