Global Shapers – Victoria hub donates sewing machine to Les Li Viv |15 March 2016

To commemorate international women’s day 2016, Global Shapers - Victoria Hub (GSVH) organised two activities which mainly targeted the youth.

The first was a whole-day educational forum based on the heforshe and sheforshe campaign which took place on Saturday March 5 at the Site Auditorium, Mont Fleuri. Its main objective was to provide a platform for discussion on various topics and present were the Ambassador for Women and Children, Erna Athanasius, British high commissioner Caron Rohsler; STB chief executive Sherin Naiken; Seychelles National Youth Council chief executive Alvin Laurence and many young women and men. 

Topics presented included “Do women have equal rights in Seychelles?”, “Making it in a male profession”, “Balancing a career and motherhood”, “Respecting women’s choices”, “Equality and Non-Discrimination” and “When I was a 16-year-old boy…”

As women all around the world celebrated international women’s day on March 8, GSVH honoured a smaller part of the women community in Seychelles: pregnant teenagers.

Underage pregnancy remains one of the most pressing concerns being faced in Seychelles at the moment. With the hope of supporting these young mothers reintegrate in society and become financially independent, GSVH raised funds to buy an industrial sewing machine which was donated to Les Li Viv, a local pro-life organisation.

Founded in 1993, Les Li Viv is a charitable organisation that provides support and counselling services to teenage mothers helping them through crisis pregnancy and their lives after. The main mission of this Catholic-affiliated organisation is to help these young girls to go back to school or find employment.  The latter is made possible through various programmes which seek to empower these young girls with the necessary skills to make them financially independent. Among the programmes offered is a certificate in basic computer skills, lessons in baking, flower arranging and sewing. Until recently, sewing was the main skilful profession being targeted for the girls.

The donation of the sewing machine will enable them to gain additional experience and better equip them with the skills needed for professional work in the sewing industry.

The ceremony took place at the premises of Les Li Viv at La Salle D’Oeuvre in Victoria and was attended by several pregnant teenagers who are part of the programme as well as Gemma Barbier, founding and former chairperson of Les Li Viv, and Doris Mancienne, the administrator of the programme.

GSVH aims to further its efforts in supporting Les Li Viv and is in discussions with the board to initiate a project where the girls would design and sew reusable bags made of scrap material which would then be sold and part of the funds raised would be donated to the programme.

Global Shapers - Victoria Hub (GSVH) is part of the international Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. Hubs are developed worldwide and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential and their drive to make a contribution to their communities.