UP CLOSE … with Josie Michaud-Payet, CSR manager at Air Seychelles |08 August 2017

‘My greatest satisfaction is the ability to make a difference in the quality of life of people in need’

Josie Michaud-Payet works in the Corporate Affairs Department at Air Seychelles and is responsible for all corporate social responsibility duties. She has been in this role for the past year. Josie says she enjoys what she does as she is a person who usually loves everything she does, no matter what the task is. Her greatest satisfaction in the job, Josie says, is the ability to make a difference in the quality of life of people, especially her fellow Seychellois brothers and sisters in need.

Josie is also the vice-chairperson of Cancer Concern Association (CCA) and has been involved in that association since its creation in 1995. She lives at Glacis and is the fifth child in a family of six children - three girls and three boys. She went to the Glacis primary school and later on pursued her secondary education at the former Regina Mundi Convent and Seychelles College. Further studies took Josie to the then Media School at the Seychelles Polytechnic in Mass Communication. Overseas studies took her to BBC World service in London where she studied broadcasting, then later on Television at Radio Nederland in Hillversum, in the Netherlands.

Until now Josie does not have any children but she considers her nieces and nephews as her own. She also has great adoration for all children and just wants to love and protect them…if she could...

Great satisfaction

“I also get great satisfaction when I successfully develop partnership with the local community and work on projects that support a good cause. For example, last year, we partnered with Round Table Seychelles (RTS) for the 2016 Regatta and the funds raised went towards supplying all government schools in Seychelles with fresh water fountains, with the aim of promoting healthy living among children through drinking water instead of sugary drinks. We have renewed our partnership with RTS this year for Seychelles Regatta 2017, because the proceeds from this year’s event will go towards the refurbishment of the School for the Exceptional Child. This year I am also working alongside Cable & Wireless to raise funds to purchase hearing aids for over 100 children with hearing impairment. It is encouraging to be able to secure the trust and partnership of all these great organisations to work on projects that will benefit Seychelles as a whole. I also get to meet people from all walks of life, from the down-trodden to celebrities and champions,” says Josie.

Interesting life

As is the case in all jobs, Josie also faces challenges in hers. She says she is presented with daily challenges, the major one being inundated with requests for assistance and secondly not being able to assist every need as this is not possible.

“This job requests that one possesses empathy and compassion for others, at the same time having the ability to discern where to assist and where to draw the line. You need to have patience, good communication and analytical skills as well as being able to have a wide antenna in the community to be able to identify areas needing the national airline’s assistance,” Josie says.

Hobbies and past time

“I love charity and community works. As I am involved in the Cancer Concern Association, which I started in as secretary, I will say that this is my hobby. I dedicate a lot of my thoughts and time in thinking and trying to do what is best for the association and to find ways to educate people about cancer,” she says.

Josie also has a small business which she takes care of after her working hours.

Other than that, she says she doesn’t have many hobbies as most of her time is spent listening to and assisting people who believe she can make a difference in their lives.

“The rest of the little time left is to unwind and de-stress with some gardening, good cooking, and listening to music and catching up on my beauty sleep at any given opportunity,” she adds.

What Josie doesn’t like in life

“I don’t have a tolerance for hypocrites and fake people. People who do not assume their responsibility and blame everything under the sun, but themselves, when things don’t go their way.

“As a woman, I am also sad to see mothers abandoning their households and children in search of quick pleasures and material things. This is why I have so much respect and adoration for my mother,” she says.

What she would change in life if she could?

“That heroin and other hard drugs never entered our beautiful country. That people stop being materialistic and be more ascetic. I guess this is our greatest source of unhappiness in this world.”

Childhood time and mischiefs

Josie says she had a sweet childhood although her father passed away when she was still two years old. She says it was tough for her mum to bring up six kids but she describes her as a great mother who gave up her life to protect and ensure that her children grow up as law abiding citizens, respectful, well-educated and disciplined.

“I used to enjoy playing hide and seek under the moonlight and all the traditional games that have sadly disappeared. As for mischiefs? Lol ... too many. I believe I am very mischievous, but I especially remember playing doctor or dentist only to grate green tamarind fruit in my friends’ teeth as fillings, or to give them injections with ‘zig koko’ ha!ha!ha!”

Good and bad experiences

Josie says her bad experiences were when her dad passed away and her mother fell ill with depression and has been ever since. She says it is always sad to see her suffer from her occasional bouts of depression and to be helpless.

“And to sound funny but truthful, another great bad experience was when Parti Lepep lost its majority in the National Assembly… it was rather a great disappointment if not a bad experience... Oops, and then there was my meeting up close with a cobra in Singapore!! Terrible experience it was! And as for good and memorable ones, too many to recount.”

Hope for the future

“That my family and loved ones always enjoy a healthy life and be happy. That we have a cure for cancer. That we are able to eradicate or control our drug problem in the country. That Seychelles remains the paradise it was meant to be by the Almighty. Seselwa En Sel Desten ! Let’s love one another in peace and harmony!”

By Marylene Julie

Josie Michaud-Payet

Josie advocating healthy lifestyle

Josie with mum, brothers and sisters

Marching for cancer (can leave out this one if too much)

Josie and mum