City Zenes Focus April 2015 | Issue 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS City Zenes Focus The Official Newsletter of Junior Chamber International City Plus
Messages: Editor-In-Chief...........................................................................ii Local President........................................................................iii Immediate Past President........................................................iv National President....................................................................v
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Tasweena Girdhari 2015 Local Secretary
2015 JCI City Plus Board of Directors......................................1 2015 Board Committees...........................................................3 CITY in Action...........................................................................4
Editorial Team Ashish Padaruth Member Vikash Beelatoo Aspiring Member
Entretien avec le President du Sénat, Senateur Marday Venkatasamy............................................................................8 Aspiring Members’ Corner.......................................................9 JCI City Plus at a Glance........................................................11 Save the dates........................................................................16
Editorial Advisors Roumesh Oomah 2015 Local President
Jargon Buster, JCI Fact, Join us............................................17
Kevin Andy 2015 Local Vice-President
OUR PARTNERS AND SPONSORS
Official Website http://www.jcicityplus.org/
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dear Readers, Welcome to the 1st Edition of City Zenes Focus for the year 2015. Each New Year is marked by the handing over of office and 2015 has been no different for JCI City Plus. With the combination of experienced and novice board members, I have no doubt that this new leadership is ready and willing to take the organization to greater heights. 2015 is also a special year for all Jaycees around the world. In 1915, one active citizen, passionately driven by positive change started the JCI Movement. Celebrating 100 years of JCI existence is indeed the right time to remember our past and look ahead at future growth and achievement. City Zenes Focus will be the channel for the promotion of our regular activities and the constant involvement of our members in creating positive change in the society. A quarter of 2015 has gone by and JCI City Plus’s activities are already in full swing. To you aspiring members, I hope that this newsletter provides you with the drive to join and discover JCI and its values. Eventually, my special thanks to the dedicated editorial team. So, let us join hands together in our endeavor to achieve our objectives set out for this year. Long Live JCI! Let’s Act to Impact.
Tasweena Girdhari Editor-in-Chief
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LOCAL PRESIDENT Dear JCI Friends, It is an honor for me to address you as the 2015 JCI City Plus President in t h e fi r s t edition of City Zenes Focus (JCI City Plus’s Newsletter) for the year. 2015 will be a memorable year for all Jaycees as it marks the 100th anniversary of the JCI Movement and 8th anniversary of JCI City Plus. 2015 is a year which is full of challenges and JCI City Plus is working to conduct interesting projects which will provide development opportunities to all members and help them grow as active citizens and we are also conducting projects which are helping to provide sustainable solutions in our community. I can proudly say that during the past three months with the support of all board members, members, senators and aspiring members, JCI City Plus is on right track in accomplishing its 2015 Plan of Action. We have completed many projects which have positively impacted the lives of many persons and we have launched many innovative initiatives that are helping us to make better plans for the future. We are confident that we will make greater things by the end of 2015.
This year is also an important year for JCI City Plus as we are putting in place our Strategic Plan. We are successfully implementing the strategic actions steps which were adopted last year. We have also reviewed our structure and this has also led to the creation of sub-board committees. This year, we have also created an Administrative and Good Governance Committee, which ensures that the board of directors is compliant with all the rules and regulation. As the 8th President, my vision is to see JCI City Plus grow as an efficient and professional organization while promoting active citizenship and bringing positive change in our community. This year, the board of directors is even applying the principles of Lean Management. To ensure that we obtain appropriate feedbacks from members and aspiring members, we have also put in place a Mentorship Program, whereby all feedbacks collected will be used to improve our organization. I would like to seize this opportunity to thank all board members, members, senators, aspiring members and partners of JCI City Plus for their continuous support. We would not have been able to reach where we are today without you. Thank you very much!
Let’s continue to ACT TO IMPACT.
Yours in Active Citizenship, Roumesh Oomah Local President
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IMMEDIATE PAST-PRESIDENT It’s already the season and the time of the year for our JCI Family when one looks back at what our accomplishments and start working on the future. The year 2014 as President of JCI City Plus has been most fulfilling and challenging in every respect. We are given the opportunity to lead for one year and create positive change in our every day action and endeavors, and I am very grateful for this life changing experience. Presidency is ephemeral and short lived. What matters most is the legacy and what we would have built for our organisation. It has been a priviledge to lead JCI CITY PLUS as President of the Local Chapter and give life to the motto that is being agents to create positive change.
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved. - Helen Keller 1880-1968, Author, Political Activist, and Lecturer
During the year 2014, JCI City Plus has been at the beck and call of creating positive change by engaging in providing sustainable solutions by involving the community, its partner, government agencies and its members. We could not have given more life to our motto CITY IN ACTION. JCI City Plus, has bloomed and all our projects and activities couldn’t have been possible without the support of the JCI City Plus family. Being surrounded by a strong team of dedicated youth, fired by their sincerity to do good have rendered each and every project of JCI City Plus successful. I have ended my year as President of JCI City Plus satisfied and with fond memories of the smiles we brought to those we helped and the spirit of the team. My sincere thanks to each and every members of the JCI Mauritius, JCI City Plus family, my project directors, my past presidents, my members and aspiring members and senators who have given me all their support as President and at a personal level. JCI City Plus is strong and committed, and I am pleased to leave such a team in the strong hand of Local President Roumesh whom I am sure will take JCI City Plus to greater heights. As the saying goes: When it begins and ends is not our choosing, but what we do in the middle space – our LIFE – is the gift to us which comes in the form of free will. The results represent a life well lived. Asha Auckloo Immediate Past-President iv
NATIONAL PRESIDENT D e a r Members, Senators and Aspiring members, It is an honour for me to send you my message for this first issue of JCI City Plus newsletter. Firstly, I wish to seize this opportunity to congratulate the 2015 Local Board members of JCI City Plus for their collaborative work in shaping a challenging plan of action for this year and for a strong kick start of their activities with the participation of members, senators and aspiring members. As we like to say: “Teamwork makes the Dreamwork”. This year is a unique one for our organisation, as we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the JCI movement. A year of excitement and also a year of opportunity to connect or reconnect our members, senators, aspiring members and past members, with the JCI h i s t o r y, p h i l o s o p h y a n d v a l u e s . Yo u r organisation, though being the youngest of JCI Mauritius family, is doing the request job by utilising the celebration as means of interaction and communication for awareness and recruitment. With the end of March, and as time slips through our fingers like sand, it has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters. A quarter of the year down brings us the
opportunity, at individual and collective level, to review our set 2015 targets and goals, and see how we can do it better and more efficiently. In these days of reorientation for the remaining months, let’s keep in mind the reasons we are JCI members, the values we share and the commitment we have taken. The National Board is pleased to see that your organisation has been able till now, to build on the achievements of last year, and has chosen this year to continue to promote actions in different communities with a powerful theme “Act to Impact’. We are looking forward to be dazzled by the sparks of your actions throughout 2015 and we are enchanted by the initiatives taken by JCI City Plus, during the last months, to strengthen brotherhood and cooperation among all local organisations. To end my message, I would like once again to encourage members, senators and aspiring members of JCI City Plus to get involved in the different activities and projects planned this year. Time goes by fast and opportunities may not come again. JCI is an organisation that draws its strength from its people, and as our JCI President Ismail Haznedar would say: “You will be what you decide to be, nothing more, nothing less…” Yours to Impact, Nousrina Peerbux 2015 JCI Mauritius National President
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2015 JCI CITY PLUS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mr. Roumesh Oomah - 2015 Local President Mr Oomah holds a BSc in Economics and an Msc in Financial Economics from the University of Mauritius. He is the Project Coordinator of the Mauritius Union Group. He joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in April 2011 and sworn in as member in September 2011. He chaired the Strategic Planning Committee, co-chaired the Recruitment Committee and was a member of the Constitution Amendments Review Committee in 2014. Roumesh was awarded Best New Member of JCI City Plus in 2011 and he won the Award for the Best Fund Raising Program and Best Local Growth and Development Program at national level in 2012 and 2014 respectively. He served the Board of Directors of JCI City Plus as 2012 Local Treasurer, 2013 Local Vice-President – Business and 2014 Local Vice-President.
Miss Tasweena Girdhari – 2015 Local Secretary Miss Girdhari holds a BSc in Physiotherapy from the University of Mauritius. She is a physiotherapist at Victoria Hospital. She joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in 2013 and sworn in as member in September 2014. She has worked on various projects of the local organization and is the Editor-in-Chief and was a member of the Editorial team of JCI City Plus newsletter in 2015 and 2014 respectively. Tasweena is chairing the Administrative and Good Governance Committee of JCI City Plus.
Mrs Chimene Dacruz-Valery – 2015 Local Treasurer Mrs Dacruz-Valery joined JCI City Plus in 2013 and sworn in as member in August 2013. She works as Senior Purchasing Agent at the MCB Group and is currently completing her ACCA. She was project director for the 2014 JCI Mauritius Creative Young Entrepreneur Award. She was a member of the Recruitment Committee and the Constitution Amendments Review Committee in 2014. She was awarded Best New Member of JCI City Plus in 2013 and Best Member of JCI Mauritius in 2014. She is a JCI Trainer and she served on the Board of Directors of JCI City Plus as 2014 Local Secretary. Chimene chairs the Financial Committee and Strategic Planning Committee of JCI City Plus.
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Miss Varsha Boodhoo – 2015 Local Vice President – Community Development Miss Boodhoo joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in 2013 and sworn in as member in December 2013. She is a Barrister at Bedell Cristine (Mauritius) Partnership and she holds a BA (Hons) Law and Criminology from the University of Kent and studied Bar Vocational Course at the University of West of England. She was called to Bar of Mauritius in January 2011. She was project director of “Learning made Easy” which was a joint project with JCI Luxembourg. Varsha is a member of the Administrative and Good Governance Committee and the ACF committee.
Mrs Maneesha Sookenram-Aubeeluck – 2015 Local Vice President – Skills Development Mrs Aubeeluck-Sookenram joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in 2014 and she sworn in as member in September 2014. She is an Educator at the Ministry of Education and Human Resources. She holds a BA (Hons) English and MSc Educational Management and Technology from University of Mauritius and University of Technology, Mauritius respectively. She has worked on various projects at the local and national level. Maneesha is a JCI trainer and she attended the 2014 JCI World Congress. She is a member of the Financial Committee of JCI City Plus.
Mr Damien Veerapatren – 2015 Local Vice President – Business Mr Veerapatren is a founder member of JCI City Plus. He is a Chartered Insurer and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Insurance. He holds a Master of Business Administration from Heriot-Watt University. He currently works as Reinsurance Underwriter at Munich Re. He worked on various local and national projects. He served on the Board of Directors of JCI City Plus as 2010 Local Vice President – Community Development, 2012 Local Vice President – Human Resources and 2014 Local Treasurer. He attended the 2011 JCI World Congress in Brussels.
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Mr Kevin Andy – 2015 Local Vice President – Public Relations and International Mr Andy joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in 2013 and he sworn in as member in March 2014. He works as a Police Officer at the Mauritius Police Force. He holds an MSc Enterprise Security and Digital Forensics from the University of Technology, Mauritius. He has worked on various projects at the local and national level. He was project director of “The ABC of investing in Stock Exchange”.
Miss Asha Auckloo – 2015 Immediate Past President Miss Auckloo joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member in April 2011 and sworn in as member in September 2011. She holds a BSc (Hons) Biology with Environmental Services and and MSc Molecular Biology with Bioinformatics from the University of Mauritius. She currently works at the Forensic Science Laboratory. She was awarded Best member of JCI City Plus in 2013 and she won the award of the Best National Flagship Program and Best member at National Level in 2013. She is a JCI trainer and she served on the Board of Directors of JCI City Plus as 2012 Local Secretary, 2013 Local Vice President – Public Relations and International and 2014 Local President. She attended 2014 JCI World Congress in Germany. She chairs the creation of JCI Rodrigues Committee and the ACF committee.
2015 BOARD COMMITTEES This year, six committees have been set-up in order to assist the Board of Directors in the discharge of their duties through a comprehensive evaluation of a specific issue: ★ Constitution Amendments Review Committee ★ Creation of JCI Rodrigues Committee ★ Active Citizens Framework (ACF) Committee ★ Strategic Planning Committee ★ Financial Committee ★ Administrative and Good Governance Committee
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CITY IN ACTION
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ENTRETIEN AVEC LE PRESIDENT DU SENAT
Senateur Marday Venkatasamy
2. Throughout your JCI experience, what was the biggest obstacle you encountered and how JCI Mauritius bounced back from it? Toujours penser que vous pouvez accomplir plus! Convaincre les gens à penser plus loin et hors de leur “comfort zone” est un grand défi! En 1987, la Conférence Area A organisée à Maurice a conduit à une démission massive dans LOM de Port Louis à la veille de la conférence, mais a également entraîné un travail d'équipe exceptionnel parmi ceux qui sont restés . Beaucoup de membres qui ont pris le défi sont devenus de grands leaders dans la communauté alors qu'aucun de ceux qui ont démissionné sont devenus des personnalités publiques!
1. Today, you are the Senate Chairperson of JCI Mauritius. What actually led you to join JCI? Nous sommes début des années 80, une période Bio-Express charnière de l’histoire politique de Maurice post Independence. J’étais jeune ★ National President in 1986 ★ Senator 40356 as from 1987 cadre professionnelle et just ★ JCI Vice President in 1988 married ! J’ai été contacté par la Jeune Chambre et l’aspect formation de dirigeants et l’opportunité de networking m’a convaincu. Mon épouse avait bien adhéré à l’idée car à cette époque les group work étaient chez les membres et notre modeste maison était sans meubles ! C’était la seule organisation pour le groupe de mon âge et il n’y avait ni Happy hour ni clubbing ! Je ne regrette pas ce choix et je ne suis pas membre d’autres organisations.
3. Among the many impact projects, which one has been your most memorable one? Ceux qui ont été très avantgardistes : Guide de création de la petite entreprise ; l’heure d’été ; carnet de santé ; conservation d’énergie. Tous réalisé avant 1985 mais aujourd’hui plus que jamais d’actualités. Mais le plus beau souvenir reste le Special Olympics . C’était merveilleux d’avoir sortie les enfants handicapés, surtout des villages. La joie des enfants et leurs parents sont les meilleurs souvenirs.
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L’autre projet est sans nulle doute notre premier Outstanding Young Person of the World en 1986.
ASPIRING MEMBERS’ CORNER
4. JCI Mauritius will be in its 31st years of existence in 2015. According to you, what are the challenges for JCI Mauritius to move forward? La motivation des membres et la raison d’etre de la JCI. En 1980, je n’avais pas d’autres choix. Aujourd’hui, ce n’est pas le cas pour les jeunes professionnels. Ca me rappelle l’exercice de remise en question réalisé par la JCE Francaise en 1983. Elle avait appel a un Consultant en Marketing, devenu Premier Ministre par la suite. Il s’agissait de Jean Pierre Rafarin. Mais je suis confiant quand je vois la qualité des membres dans les OLms qu’il y a encore bel et bien une raison d’etre. La bonne gouvernance est mon gros challenge et ce sera mon cheval de bataille.
5. Your best piece of advice for future Jaycees. Creer une amitié pérenne …J’ai des amis dont l’amitié a plus de 30 ans : Arnaud, Sylvette, Josiane, Philip. L’école de la JC est une formidable école de leadership.
6. What fun fact most people would not know about you? They know everything!!!! LOL
I was introduced to JCI City Plus through a friend who showed a great zeal of interest for the organisation which I found curious. My first JCI meeting was the Presenter's course during which I was quite shaken up and was encouraged to leave my comfort zone and make impromptu presentation. The experience although frightening got me hooked up and I decided to experience more of this organisation. The adventure continued into getting to know some amazing JCI members- Roumesh Oomah, 2015 Local President, JCI City Plus, aged only 25, has already handled several local and national projects and possesses "hors pair" leadship skills. Yudhish Rama, 2015 Deputy National President, whose great sense of humor surely makes a JCI meeting entertaining and also Ashveena Mewa, who is a lethal combination of beauty with brains. It stands true that JCI provides development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change. As an aspiring member, I have participated in projects such as Aret Tape which has definitely made a difference to the 9
lives of many women. JCI has made me strongly believe 'that service to humanity is the best work of life'. Geetanjali Ramkishore Aspiring Member
My name is Nitin and I recently joined JCI City Plus as aspiring member. It was actually by chance that I was introduced to JCI through a friend who kind of insisted that I attend one of the meetings. In my mind back then, JCI was just one of that organisations promoting business and employers interest in Mauritius. I could not be further from the truth as my interaction with the JCI City Plus people progressed. United under the common theme of
National Vice President, Ashveena Mewa and Parliamentary Procedure by National Treasurer, David Commarmond were enriching from a JCI point of view, personal and professional as well. Mission, vision, strategies, procedures for democratic progress and outcome, looking at the root cause of issues rather than focusing on symptoms, listening to others to understand their needs were amongst others the salient learning experience of the day. I guess that this is only the beginning of the JCI journey and there is scope for receiving and give back so much more as well. It’s still early days for me in the organisation and I also guess that JCI is a way of living within the global family group and in society and above all be the catalyst of change for everyone’s benefit. Ending note which has been used thousands of times but which I think will hold true forever by Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you want to see in the world”. Nitin Collappen Aspiring Member
creating sustainable positive impact to people around us, the JCI organisation regroups just anyone from anywhere really who have the desire to help others in one way or the other with only one single small print regarding age group. All aspiring members of JCI took a major step in their commitment to the organisation by attending the induction course on Sunday 15. The induction lectures on JCI Impact by Senate Secretary, Ryad Subratty, JCI Achieve by 10
JCI CITY PLUS AT A GLANCE: BACK TO SCHOOL "One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first."
 - Malala Yousafzai
This year, JCI City Plus has initiated a new project 'Back to School' which aims at helping students who are in need to get access to education. The project is in line with the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 2 (Achieve Universal Primary Education).
aim was to encourage the underpriviledged children to be more interested in education despite their unfavorable living conditions. During the event, the children of Les enfants de L'Espoir also prepared a dance and a song.
Varsha Boodhoo 2015 Local Vice President – Community Development
On the 24 January 2015, JCI City Plus kicked off its activities at Bangladesh, Tranquebar and proceeded with the distribution of school materials to 50 children from this region and spent some time with the kids. The 11
JCI CITY PLUS AT A GLANCE: EYLT JCI City P l u s organised i t s fi r s t training activity for the year 2015 on the 3 1 s t January 2015. Our main aim was to organise the Empowering Young Leaders Training at the very beginning of the year, before the kick off of projects.
The purpose of Effective meetings is that Local organisations must be creative when organizing meetings and be able to decide which type of meeting is more effective for members and the organization. It was conducted by 2015 National Vice President Asha Auckloo. 2.! Project planning- a 1-hour course Project planning is about efficiently carrying out impactful projects. It was conducted by 2015 Deputy National President Yudhish Rama.
This training was designed to develop members and aspiring members’ skills, knowledge, values and ability to be good leaders for they will soon be working on projects, as project directors or project members.
3.! Protocol and Corporate Identity- a 2-hours course Protocol and Corporate Identity teach members in respecting and using the right protocol when organising activities. It was conducted by Senator Bashir Mahomade.
It was conceptualized such that it adheres with the JCI mission and vision “to bring development opportunities that empower young people to create positive change” and ultimately a network of young active citizens. We achieved a target of 30 participants from the 5 local organisations. The training consisted of three parts: 1.! Effective meetings- a JCI recommended 2-hours course
We managed to create bonding between the various local organisations. After a long time, there was representation from all 5 local organisations. The training was very well appreciated by all those who attended it. Maneesha Aubeeluck-Sookenram 2015 Local Vice President – Skills Development
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JCI CITY PLUS AT A GLANCE: SMILE PROJECT
Since last year, JCI City Plus has been working with the Nicolay Government School through its long-term community programme 'Learning Made Easy'. Following dental check-ups which were conducted last year at the school together
As such, this year, as part of the 'Smile Project', JCI City Plus h a s organised a dental treatment to be provided to children of Standard V and VI as from 25 February to 6 March in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life. During the one and a half week, a team of dentists and the mobile dental caravane have been put at the disposal of the school to provide appropriate treatment to the kids. Varsha Boodhoo 2015 Local Vice President – Community Development
with the Ministry of Health and Quality of Life and The Lions Club of EbĂŠne, it was noted that most of the children needed dental treatment.
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JCI CITY PLUS AT A GLANCE: ARET TAPE ARET TAPE is a project which was borne last year by JCI City Plus. Through this project more than 2000 people have b e e n sensitized regarding ending violence against women.
against women in Mauritius. During 8 consecutive days, influential people in the community showed their commitment and energy to end violence against women. We started the campaign on Facebook followed by radio intervention (Club du Midi, Radio One). We also addressed the issue of different crimes committed on our elders since the beginning of t h e y e a r t h ro u g h n e w s p a p e r ( 5 - P l u s , Dimanche). “We encourage you to join our cause- End Violence against Women - ARET TAPE”
This year again, JCI City Plus, has committed to keep gender-based violence in the spotlight as a major health and human rights concern. We launched a campaign on End Violence against Women – ARET TAPE with respect to the International Women’s Day which was held
Manaicha Veeruppen Project Director
on the 8th March 2015. The aim of this campaign was to reduce the rate of violence 14
JCI CITY PLUS AT A GLANCE: FUNDRAISING JCI City Plus Fundraising – IBIZA Session @ LET by D.J F.A.B
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SAVE THE DATES
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JARGON BUSTER Let’s face it, when it comes to say what we exactly m e a n , i t ’s s o hard not to use jargons, especially after a looooong week of JCIng here and there. The acronyms are just going to slip out no matter what!
TWINNING
A voluntary and reciprocal agreement between national organizations or local organizations in different countries, regions or cities
JAYCEE
A member of the Junior Chamber International
BOARD
Denotes the Executive committee which exists at Local, National and International level. Typically, a Local board will consist of a President, Secretary, Tre a s u re r, a t l e a s t 2 Vi c e Presidents and the Immediate Past President.
JOIN US, HERE’S WHY! 1. Planning During school/university years, you planned ways to change your country and even t h e world. In JCI, you can go much beyond. It’s about planning. Your impact won’t be 1 or 2weeks but will spread across years. 2. Better networking In JCI, you work for a common goal. You work with people who eventually become your mentors and lifelong friends.
3. It’s fun! Work, study, work! No one wants to work or be with their books all JCI is the only non-UN the time. In JCI, it’s not always organisation in the world that about changing the world. You is allowed to use the UN do have a break to have fun with map in its logo. It was after friends and de stress from the an agreement made in 1954. difficulties of life. Did you know?
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Year 8: ACT TO IMPACT http://www.jcicityplus.org/ jcicityplus@gmail.com
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