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Befrienders (Mauritius)

Befrienders (Mauritius) is a team of 62 trained volunteers, offering emotional support through active listening to people experiencing distress or despair, including those facing depression or suicidal thoughts.

 

Founded in 1995, the NGO is the only organization in Mauritius dedicated to developing volunteer action for suicide prevention. We are affiliated with, and work closely alongside, Befrienders Worldwide.

 

Our service is confidential, anonymous, non-political, and non-judgmental. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or social class.

 

Our office is located at 1st Floor Flat, 152 Royal Road, Beau-Bassin, and we operate seven days a week from 09:00 to 21:00.

 

We can be reached through our:

Toll-free hotline: 800 9393

WhatsApp: 5483 7233, 5831 5551, and 5810 4317.


Accreditation Number with the National Social Inclusion: NCSRF/2017/0010

Contact this NGO
President
Doris Dardanne
Person in Charge
Doris Dardanne
Services offered
  • Free and Confidential Support
  • Emotional and psychological support via our hotlines and via WhatsApp
  • Face-to-face listening sessions
  • Awareness campaigns on suicide prevention across the island
  • Training of new volunteers 
History
  • Befrienders (Mauritius) was founded in 1995 by Dr. Ibrahim Mansoor, Ibrahim Sheik-Youssoof and others passionate about suicide prevention. 
  • In 1953, Edward Chad Varah, an English Anglican priest founded The Samaritans.  The world's first crisis hotline organisation offering non-religious telephone support to people contemplating suicide.
  • In 2003 Befrienders International took on The Samaritans' network across the 6 continents.
  • In 2012, Befrienders Worldwide was officially incorporated. 
  • Befrienders is affiliated with Befrienders Worldwide.
Objectives
  • Help people who come to us regain their self-esteem and find solutions using their inner resources
  • We aim at providing confidential and anonymous emotional support by allowing people to explore their feelings of distress.
  • We ensure individuals feel listened to and valued, empowering them to build resilience and make positive life decisions.
  • Our goal is to eliminate suicide in Mauritius.

Vision: 

  • A society in which fewer people die by suicide, and where people are able to explore their own feelings and acknowledge and respect the feelings of others.

Mission: 

  • To provide confidential emotional support for people who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those which may lead to suicide.

Values:

  • Confidentiality for all those who come to us for help so that the trust put in us is not broken.
  • Respect for every human being, their feelings and we do not minimize whatever problem that person is experiencing.
  • Our approach is rooted in non-judgement, respect, and acceptance, affirming the dignity of every individual.
Main achievements
  • Over the last 30 years we have provided emotional support to numerous people in distress and having suicidal tendencies.
  • We have also helped individuals who had attempted suicide, by providing a listening ear and encouraging them to keep contact with us for follow up.
  • We have also provided support to individuals and families who have lost a closed relative who had committed suicide.
Sources of funding
  • NSIF
  • Sponsorship
  • Fund raising