CEPS launches Volunteer of the Year Award |19 September 2016
The Citizens Engagement Platform of Seychelles (Ceps), which regroups the country’s 
non-governmental organisations (NGOs) has launched its Volunteer of the Year Award.
Its objectives are to recognise innovative and inventive volunteering approaches that have led to sustainable programmes and long-lasting results in communities, as well as to honour individuals who have overcome significant challenges in dispensing their charitable services and who have made exemplary benevolent contributions.
The award, which will each year reward two best volunteers, was launched on Thursday evening during a reception at the Cerf Island Resort. Present were French Ambassador Lionel Majesté-Larrouy, Ceps chairperson Jules Hoareau, its chief executive Marcel Rosalie, other board members and the award’s sponsor Vijay Patel who had the honour of unveiling the award’s logo.
Mr Patel is sponsoring R100,000 as 1st prize and R50,000 as second. The award’s top winner will also become the ‘Civil Society Ambassador of the Year’.
Mr Patel explained that he has accepted to sponsor the award as “it represents a good initiative to reward people who willingly give their time and capacity to other people”.
“There is time for everything that you want to do. It’s just a question of willingness,” the managing director of Vijay Construction added during the launch ceremony.
While launching the award, Ceps chairman Jules Hoareau thanked Mr Patel for the sponsorship. He added that whatever the reason someone chooses to become a volunteer – either by passion, interest, to gain experience or to meet people – volunteerism has one common factor which is love for fellow brothers and sisters. He described volunteers as torch bearers who care for other people and whose effort is priceless.
“Volunteers are torch bearers who care for other people. Their effort is priceless as you cannot put a price tag to even one hour of volunteering. The contribution of volunteers is significant in our society, but many challenges remain. Those are getting young people to become volunteers and retaining and recognising existing ones. So the award is a first step in recognising them,” he said, while he saluted the effort of those who are everyday supporting others.
Mr Hoareau hoped that all volunteers will be encouraged by the award and that more people will join in to offer their benevolent services. Recalling that Thursday was International Democracy Day, he thanked all volunteers who are working in difficult circumstances in favour of democracy.
Now that the award has been launched, Ceps’ members have until Friday October 14 to nominate two candidates, one from their own organisation and one from another. The award ceremony will then be held on December 5 as part of activities to mark Volunteers Day 2016.
The ceremony to launch the Volunteer of the Year Award ended with David André singing ‘Give a helping hand’.
