Indian Association and Vijay Group donate to the elderly |06 July 2020

The presentation ceremony (Photo: Thomas Meriton)

Elderly citizens living in different independent homes for seniors on Mahe, Praslin and La Digue as well as those living in the community will benefit from medical equipment and other items donated by the Indian Association of Seychelles in collaboration with the Bank of Baroda and the Vijay Group.

The donation was presented last week to the Minister for Family Affairs, Mitcy Larue, by the chairperson of the Indian Association of Seychelles, Jamshed Pardiwalla, the chief executive of the Bank of Baroda, Ashok Kumar and the representative of Vijay Group, Aarti Kerai, in a ceremony held at the Family House, Bel Eau. Present were the principal secretary for family affairs Marie-Josée Bonne and other staff of the ministry.

The donation included 10 tricycles and a wheelchair from Vijay Group, while the other items and medical equipment including face masks were from the Indian Association of Seychelles.

“The equipment is much needed especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and they will help the ministry deliver better service to the elderly,” said Minister Larue.

She noted that Mr Pardiwalla and the Indian Association of Seychelles are faithful partners of the ministry and help whenever they can. She also thanked Vijay Group for its generosity and for thinking of the elderly and their care.

The donation will go to the nine elderly homes – seven on Mahe, one on Praslin and one on La Digue.

The minister also called on other sponsors to come forward and help the elderly, noting that we will all be in the same situation one day and we must do all we can now to ensure the elderly people live a comfortable life.

For his part, the chairman of the Indian Association of Seychelles, Mr Pardiwalla noted that with the pandemic they weren’t able to go to individual homes to present the donations themselves which is why they are presenting it to the ministry.

He also thanked the Bank of Baroda and the Indian High Commission for helping them with the donation.

“We have a commitment to the home for the elderly and we will help them in whatever way we can when needed,” added Mr Pardiwalla.

Speaking on behalf of Vijay Group, Aarti Kerai said the donation will come in very handy to the elderly in their day to day life and it will help the ministry in boosting the quality of service and care it is already providing the elderly.

Christophe Zialor