Red Cross Society of Seychelles calls for more volunteers to join |09 May 2023

The Red Cross Society of Seychelles is calling on more volunteers to join the organisation to ensure that help reaches people in need across the country on time.

It was the secretary general of the Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS), Marie May Esparon, who made the call during an interview with the Seychelles NATION newspaper in commemoration of World Red Cross (WRC) and Red Crescent Day (RCD) yesterday celebrated under the theme ‘Everything we do comes from the heart’.

“This year like always, our main challenge is to get more volunteers to come and to give a helping hand to people in need. We are looking for volunteers who are prepared to stay active and be committed. Volunteer work does not mean being present at our office on a 24-hour basis as it can also be done from home. What we would like is for them to stay in touch with us every now and then to see if there are any activities that they can take part in,”said Ms Esparon.

Ms Esparon stated that the RCSS is also working on a plan to retain volunteers and took the opportunity to call on those who are in default with their subscription fees (R150) to please do make their contributions as the money contributes towards RCSS’s operations.

She said that while funding remains a challenge as fewer local sponsors are coming forward to make monetary donations, the RCSS though receives more monetary fundings from abroad.

She added that they are still trying to understand why the RCSS gets more monetary funding from overseas when they make appeal for donations.

She also noted that the RCSS received more funding during the Covid-19 pandemic than now.

“Maybe they think that the level of help at national level is incomparable, let’s say to that of Madagascar when we make calls for help. This is something we understand, but still people locally are in need of assistance and right now our stock to assist them has dried out and we practically have nothing to give out. We need funds to replenish our stock and I am calling on anybody who would like to assist to come forward,” said Ms Esparon, who noted that the RCSS has also launched “a red bank note (R100) for Red Cross” initiative with the hope of attracting people to give to charity.

Ms Esparon explained that since the start of the year, the RCSS has, with the help of sponsors, helped 15 people and given that they know there are more people in need, they are looking for more assistance to replenish their stocks.

She added that the RCSS is working in close collaboration with the Agency for Social Protection (ASP) to ensure there is no duplication of assistance.

“People are becoming more aware of the need to help others and this is why today we see a lot of people coming forward to help especially in emergencies and most of the time it’s the neighbours  present who react first before the authority arrives. This kind of gesture is very commendable,” said Ms Esparon.

Concerning release from work for the volunteers, Ms Esparon has called on employers to be a bit more forthcoming to release RCSS volunteers when they are called upon to give assistance.

She added that even though the RCSS receives R1.5 million from government to cover for staff salaries and for running of operations, they still need more funding to recruit more quality staff to run he different programmes.

In 2022, she noted, the RCSS received US $450,000 from USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and the money was used to boost the work of the Ministry of Health during to the Covid-19 pandemic. This was in terms of providing the ministry with computers and kits for nurses on Covid-19 outreach programmes, among donations of goods made to various households.

“We also used the money to help the Ministry of Education strengthen its Covid-19 disaster risk management in the schools and also other partners we are working with,” Ms Esparon said.

She added that the RCSS is working with its partners on its continued group blood donations programme to replenish the blood bank of the Seychelles Hospital and is also inviting others to join in by contacting the organisation.

“This way we will be able to help the Ministry of Health in its blood donation programme,” said Ms Esparon.

She said that the RCSS will continue with its capacity building programme for its partners and people in the community who face emergency challenges.

During the weekend to commemorate WRC and RCD, the RCSS presented safety equipment to some of its partners, namely the Seychelles Fire and Rescue Services Agency, Ministry of Health, Seychelles Maritime Academy, Seychelles Fishing Authority and Seychelles Defence Forces at its headquarters at Providence.  

Compiled by Patrick Joubert