Tsunami aid-Private businesses donate R500,000 to emergency foundation |08 April 2005

The cheque was presented by the chairman of the relief fund, Marc Hoareau, to the treasurer of the National Emergency Foundation, Bernard Pool, in a brief ceremony held at the Children's Playground earlier this week.

Money was collected from 15 donors with the largest share coming from Europe-based Impress Worldwide, an international manufacturer of tins, which has contributed 30,000 Euros.

During the ceremony, the director general of Impress Seafood division, Dominique Qieffer, was personally on hand to present his company’s contribution to Mr Hoareau.
Impress also has a branch in Seychelles which supplies the tuna processing factory with cans.

Representatives of British Airways, Atlas, VCS, and EHW Seychelles Limited also attended the ceremony during which those present heard that Harry Savy & Company Seychelles Limited, Bodco and Sea Harvest had also contributed. The other companies and individuals have preferred to remain anonymous.

The Seychelles Tsunami Relief Fund was set up by Mr Hoareau three months ago to raise funds, mainly from overseas contacts, for tsunami-hit victims.

Besides local contributions, he has managed to raise funds from businesses in Europe and in the United States of America.

The total sum collected amounted to R568,000. The remaining R68,000 will be donated later.

Impress Worldwide, which responded to Mr Hoareau's appeal for Seychelles, has raised over 160,000 Euros, mainly through employees’ contributions, which will also go towards other tsunami-hit countries in Asia.

The 30,000 Euro donation made by Impress Worldwide to the Seychelles Tsunami Relief Fund will go strictly towards three organisations with specific projects, namely the Red Cross Society of Seychelles, the Children's Playground and the Boat Owners Association. The Boat Owners Association has received 15,000 Euros for the purchase of materials for repairs, Red Cross Society 10,000 Euros for humanitarian work and 5,000 Euros have been given to the Children's Playground for repair works. 

"When the December tsunami hit, everybody was very emotional and wanted to help," Mr Qieffer said, adding that employees from their factories in countries all over Europe decided to work extra hours and even contributed part of their salary to the tsunami aid.
"We just wanted to show our sympathy and solidarity to your country, especially since we are operating here," he added.

Speaking to the press, Mr Pool said the National Emergency Foundation has so far received around R4 million (excluding government to government donations). Mr Pool said the Foundation has already disbursed some R700,000 to entertain smaller claims.

He said they were still awaiting the assessment of much larger claims to come through.

The Foundation has disbursed around R75,000 (US $15,000) to the Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA) to help with repairs of fishing boats and has purchased two container- loads of plywood to assist people whose houses were damaged by last December’s tsunami and torrential rains.