Disabled trainees at the Vocational Training Centre celebrate Deepavali |23 October 2019

The handover of the cheque

Disabled trainees at the Vocational Training Centre, North East Point, were yesterday treated to a breakfast hosted by the Tamil Sangam of Seychelles as part of celebrations of the Deepavali Festival on October 27, 2019.

The Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue, the deputy chief executive of the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) Ghislaine Belmont, the supervisor of the training centre Genevieve Boniface, the chairman of the Tamil Sangam of Seychelles association, Veera Pandiyan Pillay and executive members, board members of the National Council for the Disabled, senior officials from the ministry and parents and staff of the Vocational Training Centre, also joined the disabled trainees in the breakfast.

Before the breakfast, Mr Pillay presented a cheque for R10,000 and a set of 50 t-shirts to the training centre.

The donations were accepted by trainees Anil Quatre and Therese Larose on behalf of the centre.

In a short address, Mr Pillay said it was pleasure for the association to participate in making a difference in the daily lives of the disabled attending the training centre.

He noted that the aim of the newly formed Tamil Sangam of Seychelles association is to promote love and brotherhood among the people living in Seychelles and to help those who are in need of social support.

Mr Pillay said the association will continue to organise such events on a annual basis to other groups of people who are also in need of support.

Deepavali is a festival of lights. It indicates that the great feeling of love and kinship should be shared with one another on the special day.

“Today we are celebrating with great joy and happiness which brings to light that the purpose of the Deepavali Festival has been achieved,” Mr Pillay said.

On behalf of the training centre, Mrs Boniface thanked the Tamil Sangam of Seychelles for its generous donation and for hosting the breakfast.

Mrs Boniface later explained that the money will be used to help build a sitting area for the trainees.

She also said that the centre is looking into constructing a multipurpose court for the trainees in future.

The t-shirts will be used by the trainees to represent the centre in national events.

Apart from launching an appeal for more support by stakeholders to the training centre, Mrs Boniface noted that the main constraints the centre is facing is the constant flooding of the backyard coming from the marsh and the traffic which speeds on the stretch of road in front of the centre and this causes a danger to students when crossing the road to catch the bus.

The Vocational Training Centre has 35 disabled trainees of different ages, with a few in their forties, where they learn practical skills in agriculture, home economics, art and craft, textile, jewelry, sewing, and carpentry along with some academic subjects. They are provided with R5250 invalidity benefit along with free bus passes among others. Those who qualify to enter the world of work after training are placed in employment with the help of the employment division.

Some students come to the centre straight upon finishing their studies at the School for Exceptional Child while others come from the community.