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​​Home Economics Unit​

 

Aim of the Home Economics Unit     ​
 
The Home Economics Unit aims at promoting the social and economic empowerment of women and the community at large through capacity building programmes pertaining to the field of Home Economics. Home Economics is concerned mainly with training on the management of a person’s daily life and empowers him/her with relevant knowledge and skills that will enable him/her to meet his daily life challenges. 

Training modules lay emphasis on: -
    

  • Food and nutrition,
  • Management of family resources of time, energy and money,
  • Child development,
  • Home Economics extension, &
  • Entrepreneurship development.​

 

     The Home Economics Unit, therefore works towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8 & 12.

 These are as follows: -

  • ​ Goal 1 – No Poverty
  • Goal 2  – Zero Hunger
  • Goal 3  – Good Health & Well – Being
  • Goal 4  – Quality Education
  • Goal 5  – Gender Equality
  • Goal 8  – Decent work & Economic Growth
  • Goal 12– Responsible consumption & production
         
 Target audience & coverage​

 

Courses are free of cost, MQA approved and are targeted at all members (women & men) of the community). Special emphasis is laid on vulnerable groups.   Tailor made programmes (Life-skills Development Programmes) are also implemented for the benefit of young children & youth (both boys & girls) as well as for working persons (both men & women).

Training Programmes are run as a decentralized service in a network of more than 125 centres located all over the island. Centres include the following: - ​

  • Home Economics Resources Centres,
  • Women Empowerment Centres,
  • Social Welfare Centres,
  • Community Centres,
  • Village Halls, &
  • Municipal Hall, etc.​ ​

  Courses offered​​
          
        HE.JPG

     The Women Entrepreneurship Development Programme is run for trainees who show interest in setting up home based income generating activities as well as micro businesses. 

       Pics1.jpg
 

Training on Quality Control of Food Products


 

The Home Economics Unit also offers specialised services namely the: -

 

 

  •         Agricultural Women’s Club (AWCs)

 

     The objective of these clubs is to promote agricultural activities among women as well as to enhance healthy eating, food security as well as income generating activities. 25 AWCs are functional over the island.

 

 

  •        ​ Weight Management Clubs
     

     These clubs aim at providing dietary advice to overweight and/or obese women on the management of their body weights. Emphasis is also laid on the regular practice of physical exercise. The objective is to combat non – communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and hyper cholesterol caused by poor eating habits and wrong lifestyles.  These clubs are usually coupled with training on ‘healthy lifestyle’.

 

  • ​    ​  ​​Promotion of business start-ups.
     

    The Unit also manages a Production Centre cum Sales Outlet located at Plaine des Papayes (within the compound of the Social Welfare Centre).  The aim of the above specialised centre is to empower vulnerable women and their families economically and to help them become financial independent. This centre was set up in March 2011 as a specialized project under the “Special Collaborative Programme for Support to Women and Children in Distress”.

     The objectives of the Plaine des Papayes Production Centre cum Sales Outlet are to: -

 

 

  •          offer sp​ecialised training for the setting up of income generating activities in the agro sector,
  •          acquaint potential women agro processors with semi – industrial processing equipment,
  •          enable latter target group to validate their products ideas,
  •          guide the entrepreneurs in the setting up their enterprises,&
  •          offer a sales outlet to market their products

 

    Hence the services/facilities offered include training, production on a semi – industrial scale, on site exhibition and sales of products, counselling, &networking as well as exchange programmes. 

 

      

     More than 1000 women have been trained and about 25% have successfully started income generating activities. 

                      
 

Pics2.jpg 
 Spice grinding and production of chips
 
  • ​​​  ​Marketing facilities to micro women entrepreneurs

 

 ​Local mini fairs are organised all over the island, even in remote areas with a view to offering a platform to our trainees (potential women entrepreneurs) to market their products, generate income as well as to boost up their self -confidence & leadership skills.

 

 
Pic3.jpg 
 

Sales of vegetables by members of Agricultural Women’s Clubs

 

  • Home Economics extension

 

Home Economics extension mainly involves members of Agricultural Women’s Clubs.

 

Interested persons are given specialised training to set up projects in connection with the cultivation of flowers and strawberries, pulses, food security crops as well as in apiculture, poultry keeping and the rearing of small animals, etc.  

 
 
pic4.jpg 
 Training in Apiculture

Contact details: -


  

  • Home Economics Unit

​     6th Floor, CSK Building

    Cnr. Remy Ollier & Emmanuel Anquetil Streets, Port – Louis

    Phone Number: 206 38 24  
    Fax Number: 217 65 57

    Email address: 

 

 

  • Phoenix Home Economics Resource Centre

    Phone/Fax Number: 6063338​​

 

  • Plaine – des – Papayes Production Centre cum Sales Outlet

    Phone/Fax Number: 266 85 10

 

 

  • Quartier Militaire Home Economics Resource Centre

    Phone/Fax Number: 435 74 63

 

 

  • ​Plaine Magnien Home Economics Resource Centre

    Phone/Fax Number: 637 83 89





Table 1: List of Projects Implemented by the Home Economics Unit for the period Jan 2024- May 2025

SN
REGIONPROJECTS
1P.Wilhems/B.River1.      Life Skills Development for Youth (school holidays) – Floreal SWC (August 2024)
​​​
2.      Sensitization of parents in kindergartens on healthy eating habits of pre-primary school children (talk & practical) at Bouba Pre-Primary and Tiny Kids (September 2024)
​​

3.      Sensitization on Food Waste Food Loss- a practical approach to daily life. (Transforming leftovers into other dishes at household level) – Bambous SWC (November 2024)

 

​​

4.      Life Skill Development Programme on healthy eating habits and snacking for Children of RCIs - La Marguerite, Belle Rose and SOS Village, Beau Bassin  (December 2024)

 

​​5.      Promotion of Food Security Crops –Floreal SWC (February-March 2025)
​​6.      Training programme for staff of RCIs in food processing – Coromandel CC (February to April 2025)
2Grand Port/Savanne1.      Awareness Program on Food Waste and Food Loss Reduction in Secondary Schools – Doha College, Souillac and Hamilton College Boys, Mahebourg (March 2024)
​​2.      Creativity and Innovation in Pasta Making - Plaine Magnien HERC (May to July 2024)
​​3.      Prevention of NCDs – Nutrition Program on Hypertension - Ferney CC (October to November 2024)
​​4.      Weekend Course in Healthy Lifestyle Program (March – May 2025)
​​5.      Creativity Day for Children (April 2025)
​​6.      Sensitisation program on healthy ageing – La Rosa SWC (April 2025) – Ongoing
3Moka/Flacq1.Creativity & Innovation in Pasta Making – Quartier Militaire HERC (March - May 2024)
​​2.Promotion of Food Security Crops- Flacq WEC /Quartier Miliaire HERC (March - May 2024)
4Pamplemousses/Riviere du Rempart / Port Louis1.Creativity & Innovation in Pasta Making - Roches Noires C.C (August – October 2024)
​​

2.Training of cooks and staff members of RCIs in Food Preservation - Plaine des Papayes Production Centre

(April-June 2024)

​​

3.Medicinal plants- benefits and uses at household level -

Plaine des Papayes Production Centre (September - November 2024)

​​

4. Enhancing Consumption of Nutrient Dense Foods

Triolet SWC

(May - July 2024)

​​5. Fighting Hypertension – Amaury SWC (August to October 2024)
​​6. Project- Healthy Ageing – Riv. Du Rempart Elderly Day Care Centre (March to May 2024)
​​7.      Lifeskills Development Programme for Youth – Plaine des Papayes PC (November 2024)

 

 

Table 2: Capacity Building Progra​mmes offered by the Home Economics Unit

SNCOURSEDURATIONREMARKS
1. Healthy Lifestyle20 weeksMQA approved
2. Family and Consumer Issues12 weeksMQA approved
3. Sustainable Development & Food Security32 weeksMQA approved
4. Heathy Living for Seniors12 weeksMQA approved
5. Caring for Children12 weeksMQA approved
6. Pastry & Dessert12 weeksMQA approved
7. Food Processing12 weeksMQA approved
8. Floral Arrangement12 weeksMQA approved
8.       Healthy Vegetarian Cooking12 weeksMQA approved
9.       Recycled Household Crafts12 weeksMQA approved
10.   Beauty Care20 weeksMQA approved
11.   Yoga20 weeksMQA approved
12.   Advanced course in Pastry and Dessert12 weeksMQA approved
13.   Advanced course in Beauty Care20 weeksMQA approved
14.   Advanced course in Yoga20 weeksMQA approved
15.   Bridal Make-Up12 weeksMQA approved

 

 

      1. Publications:

The Home Economics Unit launched two recipe boolets namely “Iron-Rich Foods"and “Innovative Snacks" in 2022 to adress nutrient deficiency in the population and encourage healthy eating. The booklets are available on sale at the Home Economics Resource Centres/Production Centre (HERC/PC) as follows:

  • Plaines des Papayes PC – Tel 2668510
  • Plaine Magnien HERC – Tel 6378389
  • Quartier Militaire HERC – Tel 4357463
  • Phoenix HERC – Tel 6063338​



 

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