FED Beachcomber/EU Partnership Vulnerable Lives Matter: Four years of social inclusion initiatives
Launched in 2021 by Fondation Espoir Développement Beachcomber (FED) with support from the European Union (EU), the Vulnerable Lives Matter programme concluded on 18 September 2025 with a closing ceremony at the Hennessy Park Hotel. Over four years, the initiative has been a life-changing experience for nearly 900 people, including young school dropouts, women living in poverty and individuals with disabilities. It has also helped some 60 NGOs strengthen their capacity to serve their communities.
“We are deeply grateful to the EU for its support in bringing this initiative to fruition. Vulnerable Lives Matter reflects the power of solidarity and partnership to create lasting positive change. The greatest legacy of this programme is the lives it has touched, the paths that have been reversed and the spirits that have been lifted. Young people who found new direction and became actors of their own future, women who built small businesses and reclaimed their dignity and people with disabilities who are now more fully integrated into society. They have been guided, their voices have been heard and their potential has been valued,” said Karine Perrier Curé, Chairperson of FED and Chief Brand & Communication Officer of Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels.
From the outset, Vulnerable Lives Matter set the ambitious goals to offer young people employment and entrepreneurship training, to help women develop income-generating activities, to strengthen youth civic engagement, to empower people with disabilities and to build the capacity of NGOs in their community-support roles. With a total budget of €431,000, the programme received a €386,936 grant from the EU and €45,000 in co-funding from FED.
Key outcomes
- 789 young people completed the Projet Employabilité Jeunes programme, gaining strong vocational skills.
- 50 women received entrepreneurship training, 23 of whom were supported by the National Empowerment Foundation; 29 received seed capital of Rs 40,000 and a further 5 received Rs 10,000 to launch or grow their businesses.
- 83 people with intellectual or hearing disabilities were guided into employment through tailored support delivered in partnership with specialist NGOs.
- 60 NGOs strengthened their management capacity and their collaboration with institutional and community stakeholders.
A lasting commitment
“Over the past four years, this initiative has enabled hundreds of beneficiaries to build a more empowered and equitable future. New paths were created: women have become entrepreneurs, young people are better prepared for the workplace and people with disabilities are more fully included in society,” noted Beachcomber’s CSR Manager, Viren Vythelingum.
Building on this experience, Beachcomber is committed to sustaining the key components of Vulnerable Lives Matter. The Group will continue these initiatives with its own resources to ensure lasting progress and to integrate social inclusion into the very fabric of community development.
“Vulnerable Lives Matter reminds us that impact is measured by the lives we touch and the opportunities we help create. By supporting women, young people and people with disabilities, we lay the foundations for sustainable and inclusive development. This programme is not an end, but the starting point for ongoing and ambitious commitment to communities,” said the Beachcomber Group’ CEO, Stéphane Poupinel de Valencé.
The results were recognised by the EU. “The Vulnerable Lives Matter project has been a genuine catalyst for change. The European Union is proud to have stood alongside you in delivering this remarkable initiative. I hope the project’s achievements will endure and inspire further action. Together, we will continue to build societies of inclusion, solidarity and hope,” said Maria Luisa Troncoso, Team Leader – International Cooperation, Delegation of the EU to the Republic of Mauritius.