How Mauritius came to SCI

by Rita Warleigh (Jun 19, 2008)

Recently a request was sent to the Archives asking how SVI Mauritius (SCI Mauritius) became part of international SCI and how it became a branch. I asked Rita Warleigh to make this investigation during her stay in SCI Archives this June. Here are her notes:

 

SCI Archives - June 2008

Research on SVI Mauritius

Question: Why was Mauritius granted branch status?
Aim: to look for information relevant to this question. Some other points of interest have also been noted.

• 1960 - 2 vols sent to Mauritius by IVS-GB. Trigger for SCI was 2 cyclones
• May 1960 - Feb 1961 - 2 vols active
• 1960 - first report by the 2 vol
  
  • 6th August - first wc started (year?).
  • Worked with support of government

• 25th May 1965 - explanation why they had decided not to use the name SCI but instead SVI (civil service is associated with government service)

• 30th June 1965 - (from Frank Judd, IVS-GB) explanation of conditions necessary to become a branch

• July 1965 - plans to establish a group under the name SVI

• 26th Sept '65 - Ist official meeting os SVI: committee elected

• Oct '65 - ICM working paper no. 5 - notes SCI has a concern in Mauritius (also West Africa, Southern Africa)

• end of '65-early '66 - vol sent with Oxfam support, who had responsibility to assist in the development of an SCI branch there.

• Dec '66-Feb '67 - field visit by IVS to Lesotho, Mauritius, Seychelles - mainly looking at work of LTVs.

• Mauritius going through a bad period, division and discord in leadership, stagnation in service.

• Feb '67 - letter from Stan Brumby: SVI ready to appoint a full time employee in a community centre built by SVI at Carol.

• April '67 - SVI split into 2 groups that were 'opposed and irreconcilable'; letters written from both sides to IVS-BG; reference to 'this fledgling SCI branch'.

• June '67 - Douglas Childs visit to Mauritius - noted enquiry by Minister of Education. Also noted only 1 Mauritian has done a wc in Europe.

• 1967 - another cyclone - SVI to the rescue

• 1968 -outbreak of violence in Mauritius.

• 1968 AGM - Constitution written; first Mauritian MTVs in Europe; idea floated of volunteer exchange between Mauritius and India. [all through these years there is much support from IVS-GB and Ralph Hegenaur.]

• 1969 Karl Goder (SVI Mauritius) applies for position in ES - not sucessful

• Jan 1970 - IVS visit to Mauritius

• Mar 1971 - Press release 'SVI closed'. Reasons given as lack of money, van not working, apathy. (Van was previously reported as missing along with one of the LTVs).

• Jan '72 - Application from Laurent Felicity for post of Assistant Asian Secretary. Not successful.

• Jan '73 - Field visit by IVS: recommends re-assess role of IVS before committing to future.

• Overseas Service Sub-Committee decided IVS should continue in Mauritius.

• Dec '73 - Field trip by IVS: discuss appointment of full-time co-ordinator; SVI still shaky.

• Nov '74 - another field visit: reports very small number of activities, volunteers mainly sent to outer islands.

• 1975 - another cyclone

• June '77 - SVI in process of re-forming

• Nov '78 - first volunteer for some years sent to Mauritius

• 1980 - preparation of application for branch status.

• April 1981 - 49th ICM in GB (England) Branch status granted after positive recommendation from International Africa Committee and Gerson Gu-Konu.

• 1984 - letterhead states: 'SVI, branch of SCI'

• 1987 - attended ICM in Northern Ireland

• 1987 - SVI Mauritius nominates a candidate for SEED committee

• 1989 - SVI applies and is accepted as part of Asian structure of SCI

This investigation shows that the application to become a branch was initiated by SVI Mauritius. SCI reacted to this request and branch status was granted in 1981. In 1989 SVI Mauritius became part of the Asian structure of SCI.