Lions women honour senior citizens |24 July 2017

 Members of the Seychelles Centennial Women Lions Club took time out of their busy schedule on Saturday to spend a day with the residents of the English River's home for the elderly.

The 16 residents at the home were treated to a lunch prepared by the members and enjoyed a fun-filled afternoon which included live entertainment from a band.

According to Sashi Senthil Kumar, the newly elected club president, the reason behind such an event was to honour and celebrate Seychelles' senior citizens and their contributions, past or present.

“One of the first activities to kick start our year (which begins every July 1) is always dedicated to the elderly. Because last year we did the same at Anse Royale, we decided to bring the same joy to another home,” she said.

Due to the fact that the home is government-funded, with a budget that not only caters for the maintenance of the home but also for utilities and payment of staff, it is often difficult for the management to provide these types of entertaining activities for its residents.

Sylvia Stravens, the director of all nine elderly homes in the country, stated that the above constraint makes it near impossible to organise parties or activities outside of the homes and hence help from charitable organisations are always appreciated.

“We are grateful for the interest the Centennial Women Lions Club has in our elderly citizens. Our residents are vulnerable in the sense that they are lonely because they are away from their relatives so when groups organise these types of events for them they really feel loved,” Ms Stravens said in her welcoming speech.

Sixty-nine year old Ange Valentin, a resident of the home for over three years, said: “I'm enjoying myself. After all, everyone loves a party no matter how old they are.”

The Seychelles Centennial Lions Club is a branch of the Lions Club and has been involved in various other charitable ventures since its conception last year. The motto ‘When there is a need, there is a lion’ drives their community work.