Mauretania

For a conservative Muslim country, it is remarkable how quickly married couples can divorce in Mauritania. This happens even though the entire tribe is often involved in choosing marriage partners and a marriage is a complex and costly undertaking. Even women frequently file for the divorce. Unlike in other poor countries, they can often keep a large part of the household goods afterward. Many Mauritanians are not just divorced once, but multiple times, and are even proud of it. There are mothers of whom each child has a different father from a different marriage.

However, the high divorce rate is increasingly becoming a problem for society and endangering social cohesion. It becomes particularly critical when a woman marries early and has children and is then divorced by her husband—sometimes under pressure from family or relatives. Without a school diploma or vocational training, the single mother cannot support herself and her children.

This is where SwissRelief's partner steps in and helps vulnerable mothers generate their own income. First, the emergency situation is analyzed. Then, based on the woman's prior skills, a project is developed and funding is clarified. In one case, the affected woman had already worked in a clothing store. With the financial start-up help, she was able to rent a small shop and purchase goods. She sells these and uses the proceeds to pay the rent and buy new goods. What she earns beyond that is used to support herself and her two children.