FetAfrik 2016 - Sharing the ‘Spirit of Ubuntu’ |24 May 2016

Ubuntu is a South African word meaning ‘A person is a person through other person’, or ‘I am you are’. It reflects a set of African values that reinforce our humanity and connectedness.

In a world of diverse and different values, even in Seychelles, leaders can apply the principles of Ubuntu to increase collaboration and a sense of belonging and purpose, which help drive the sustainable growth, and also create a great relationship between each other.

It is in this light and to commemorate FetAfrik 2016 which will be celebrated this week, that the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture has organised a two-day workshop to share the Spirit of Ubuntu in Seychelles.

The workshop was opened yesterday morning at the Seychelles Trading Company’s (STC) conference room, in the presence of SNYC chief executive Alvin Laurence, his deputy Ghislaine Belmont, committee member of FetAfrik Peter Sinon, SNYC members, youth workers, among other guests.

The facilitator of the workshop is Helen Sayers, who is the director and trainer Oasis Life-Skills Training Service Office.

Ms Sayers’ role model is someone who optimised the Spirit of Ubuntu, the late Nelson Mandela. In exploring the Spirit of Ubuntu, Ms Sayers was inspired to write a book about Ubuntu, which she has dedicated to Nelson Mandela.

She stated that Seychelles is already practicing the Spirit of Ubuntu, by every month launching a value that is shared with the community through SNYC.

“Ubuntu speaks to the very essence of being human; Ubuntu has got many definitions such as generous, hospitable, friendly, and caring among others. I discovered the word Ubuntu when I was living in South Africa for three years, and three years in Kenya. It is a word about human generosity,” she said.

She added that Seychelles is doing a wonderful job by promoting a value every month with the help of SNYC.

“SNYC is doing a superb job by engaging the youth in promoting a value every month, and these values are propagated among the community by the youth. Such values are universal values and all part of Ubuntu, because these values belong to humanity,” she added.

She pointed out that those values can reunite humanity, because nowadays we have so many people who are divided.

“Those values can reunite humanity, because now there are so many individuals who are divided because of culture, colour, religion and nationality,” she noted.

Mr Laurence said that such workshop helps us to appreciate our precious values which are celebrated every month.

“In Seychelles we have a mix culture that makes us what we are today. By promoting the Spirit of Ubuntu which comes from our mainland which is Africa, we are keeping our living values alive.  We need a special programme so that those values can stay alive and be promoted,” he said.

He added that the citizens and the youth of Seychelles need to better understand the culture of Africa, through FetAfrik.

“Seychelles is part of Africa; such values must be promoted among our families and the community. We need to work hard so that such values can be shared with the youths,” he said.