Port Louis — It is sometimes hard to believe we are living on a paradisiacal island when light is shed upon real life tragedies whether by word of mouth or through the medias.

This morning, for instance, the shocking story of three homeless kids pitifully left to their fate on the streets drew my attention to such a point that I called the good Samaritan who made this SOS for more details.

This philanthropic figure of Cité La Caverne, Amédée Blin, is a taxi driver of 51, who has always been involved in social work. He has been an active member of Caritas and is fully involved in voluntary activities in his region and in other parts of the island.

Hence, five years ago, he gave a helping hand to a mother and her three children who were living in miserable conditions at Mont-Roches. They had been abandoned by the father who had moved overseas without news or support after having conceived two other children with yet another woman with whom he was living in wedlock! The poor single mother was, thanks to her meagre salary as gardener, contributing Rs 900 as rent for a precarious abode shared with five other persons.

Amongst others, Mr Blin helped to the civil registration of one of the children and regularly visited the family. Recently, when he came back from overseas, the golden hearted taxi driver brought some gifts for his protégés. He was stunned to learn that the children who were supposed to be living with their uncle regularly found themselves at the mercy of the dangers of the street with only the sky as a roof!

According to Mr Blin, they had been spending five days on the asphalt of Albion before he last met with them. The two girls aged 12 and 13 have stopped school and are working in a factory. Their fragile condition favours easy trapping in prostitution networks by unscrupulous predators. Their brother is awaiting his CPE results. The only wish of Mr Blin is that no stone be left unturned to address this tragedy, which is being baked under our tropical sun. Why not help make the wish of that exceptional man by contributing to the praiseworthy abortion of the hijacking of these young lives.