Seychelles Centennial Women Lions Club |23 August 2021
Manjari Gohel, the new president of SCWLC ( photo right) and Donation of T-Shirt by Ms Mohotti
Manjari Gohel appointed new president for year 2021-2022
New office bearers of the Seychelles Centennial Women Lions Club (SCWLC) for the year 2021-2021 were officially inducted last week via a zoom meeting.
The new president of the SCWLC is Manjari Gohel and the other office bearers are Swapna Akinapelly (secretary) and Jayantika Pandya (treasurer). The first, second and third vice-presidents are Anitha Kannan, Madam Doris and Abirami Pillay respectively
The event started off with the customary Lions roar followed by a Lions toast to the health of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Wavel Ramkalawan, and to the international Lions clubs.
New members were also sworn in during the night in the presence of Lions and members of sister clubs including the Lions Club of Seychelles, the Melvyn Jones Foundation and the Rising Lions.
On that occasion the outgoing president, Ruth Mohotti, thanked all the sponsors, communities and friends who helped the SCWLC to realise its community projects during these challenging times.
“It was a year full of confusion and despair due to the pandemic. It’s obvious challenges in initiating projects but we managed to accomplish a great deal together. I am eternally grateful to the outgoing team and members who were of tremendous support in ensuring our club maintained its reputable community service role in the country. Especially to all our sponsors without whom, most of our projects would have remained but ideas.”
Ms Mohotti noted that “As it comes to an end, the book is just beginning for there are many energetic activities of service to come. I hope the lessons of the past year can be stepping stones for greater heights and pray that I had played my part in ensuring the longevity of spreading the spirit of lionism. My best wishes for the incoming president and members in whom I have great faith and I know they will continue to be a driving force in service within our community. I will always extend my support and share my knowledge with the team. Let us continue to serve with our hearts for the benefit of those in need.”
The new President, Mrs Gohel, thanked all the Lions for this service opportunity and noted that “even if we are in Covid times, we make our challenges stepping stones and keep serving the community with our hearts”.
Dr Sasikumar, the chairperson for Region E (comprising Seychelles and Mombasa) also attended the induction night.
New district officers for Seychelles and Mombassa
During that night the new district officers were also inducted for Region E (Mombasa and Seychelles MD 411 A). They are Lion Karpagam Senthil kumar (DO for Diabetes); Lion Dhana Sasikumar (DO for Paediatric cancer); Lion Ruth Mohotti (DO for Hunger); Lion MD Nur Alam (DO for Environment); Lion D V Sharma (DO for Vision); Lion Suresh Babu (DO for Reading action and Literacy program) and Lion Deepak Babu (DO for youth and LEO).
Projects done in 2020-2021
July/August 2020: School Garden Inauguration
The School Garden Project is a signature activity the club has supported for the past three years. Previously all other supported school gardens were on Mahé. This year the Club extended its service to Praslin. The aim of the project is to provide schools with a practical learning space for multiple subjects (science, agriculture, arts and others). The secondary aim of the project is to provide skills and knowledge in the production and consumption of locally grown food. Therefore, schools are encouraged to work with local farmers. The Mont Fleuri school benefitted from that project in August.
September 2020: Our Environment, Our Future - Fundraising
The Club joined in the Tennis Associations fundraising day to raise funds towards this Lions year's environment projects. The club sold soft drinks, water, vegetables and snacks during that day's activity. The first one was to purchase gardening tools for one of our school gardens participating schools that had done so well in maintaining and growing their garden planned for October 2020. The second activity was in partnership with the Seychelles Forestry Department to plant 100 palm trees in a much needed area. It was a well worthy fundraising activity and all club members had a chance to team up in group to do service and a lot of bonding took place.
Clean Up Campaign:
On the occasion of Clean Up World, the Club joined in the national clean-up campaign. We chose to clean the basketball court of a secondary school that even the members of that community use. The drains were unclogged, plastic waste was removed from the sides of the court and rusted iron waste were cleared out.
October 2020: Our Teachers; Domestic Violence Awareness; Celebrating the elderly in the society and gardening tools donation
To kick start Service Week and celebrate Teacher's Day, SCWLC partnered with Ministry of Education to distribute healthy food hampers to all the blood donors that participated in the blood drive.
To celebrate the month for Domestic Violence, the Club wrote an article to raise awareness on domestic violence and published it in the local newspaper on October 9.
To celebrate Service Week, SCWLC undertakes an annual visit to an elderly home to spend time with the residents. This year we visited the residents at the Pointe Laure Elderly Home. We spent two hours enjoying their company. We treated them to good food, drinks and each resident received a small care pack of essential items.
On International Food Day, the Club donated much needed garden tools to Anse Boileau primary school - the first school that benefited from our School Garden project three years ago. The students and teachers had done a wonderful job with their garden and to encourage the students to continue their hard work, the club donated tools that they were in need!
November 2020: Diabetes Awareness; Every Child Matters - Together through Challenges; Victoria Clean-Up Campaign
SCWLC joined the other three Lions Clubs in Seychelles for the diabetes awareness session facilitated by a Ministry of Health nurse.
The Club was able to donate a few needful items to the pediatric cancer treatment room. Though the island is small we have 15 patients between 1 year old and 15 years old. With these toys, books and a TV we were able to reach out and serve a small group of children who are hardly noticed but go through difficult times for their tender age. We hope they will now find some joy while going through consultations and treatments! A blessed time with the Oncology team at the Victoria Hospital!
In an effort to keep the capital city clean, the Mayor of Victoria organised a clean- up campaign. The Club joined in this effort alongside many other organisations. We were allocated a small segment of one of Seychelles’ most visited streets.
A nursery and medicinal garden was donated to the Mont Fleuri primary school
December 2020: Festive cheer fundraising; Family Christmas lunch and care packages
SCWLC partnered with the Seychelles Gymnastic Association and placed a stall at their end-of-year competition. The Club sold fashion jewelry locally made, sweet treats, water and juice!
Seychelles Centennial Women Lions Club had the opportunity to reach out to 65 individuals of 11 under privileged families to celebrate Boxing Day! In collaboration with Caritas Seychelles, a religious charity organisation, the families were provided with a full lunch (salad, baked potatoes, roast chicken, noodles and brownies). After meeting and planning the distribution we had the pleasure of going to each of the 11 homes and delivering the meals at their doors.
The SCWLC has the second festive project to share with all our Lions. This time we reached out not just to the under privileged children in the Perseverance secondary school but also all the way to their families. Most of the 7 families we supported with these care packages has 1 adult and 5 children. We just hope that what we had managed to give would sustain them over at least 2 months. These families were carefully selected to make sure that they would wisely use the goods given to them!
January 2021: The Nightingale project
This Nightingale project is aimed at providing support to the front line nurses battling the Covid-19 pandemic. The SCWLC donated food items and refreshments for their own consumption during the long and arduous shifts at the clinics and other Covid stations. This activity was carried out in partnership with the Nurses Association of the Republic of Seychelles (Nars).
February 2021: Covid Relief
This donation was a joint effort from all four clubs of Seychelles. The commodities donated went to support three health centres on Mahé.
March 2021: Orange Day Campaign Donation
In celebration of Orange Day, which is a UN programme to raise awareness on gender based violence, the SCWLC donated orange T-Shirts to staff of the Family Affairs department of the Ministry of Social Affairs.
May 2021: Freedom for girls
In support of the Freedom For Girls project, the SCWLC visited the Foyer la Solitude at La Misère. During the visit the members took the opportunity to have a motivational talk by a retired professional who volunteered to assist the club. The ages of the girls at the foster home range from 13 to 15 years. The girls were also presented with a school bag and a hamper of personal hygiene products.
Vidya Gappy
