Pillay R Group treats disabled to end of year party |03 January 2024
Deacon Christian Toulon leading the special prayer
The Pillay R Group, one of Seychelles’ generous businesses, had picked the setting of Espace Building to organise and sponsor a special end of year party for people with a disability.
The event also marked the 50th birthday of Vice Chairperson Jayanthi Ramakrishnan Pillay, who up until the Covid pandemic, celebrated her day with the disabled.
The event stopped temporarily due to the pandemic and restarted after, but at a lower scale. This time around, it was back to full scale.
Speaking on behalf of the owner of Pillay R Group, Ramakrishnan 'Ramu' Pillay, who unfortunately could not take part in the event, Marc Waye-Hive, head of human resources, said the most important thing for the day was that they have joined together with persons with a disability, to celebrate the end of the year.
He also referred to Christmas Day, when Pillay R Group spent time with the less fortunate children. “We touched their hearts like we are touching yours today. Mr Pillay and his wife’s only wish is that even if they were to leave this world tomorrow that this event could continue year after year.”
Mr Waye-Hive stated the entire population can make a difference in the hearts of one person and that the concept of the event started with one person’s mindfulness of giving back to the community and embracing those who are disabled.
During the event, Frederick Gappy received a special award. He volunteered and took part in some impactful activities as a participant in the President’s Award Scheme, including ensuring the Autism Centre at North-East Point is well kept through clean-up activities, to better serve the community.
Frederick and his family were victims of the unfortunate events of December 7 and once again showed resilience in spirit. He not only embraced his own journey with autism but has fearlessly stepped into the role of advocate, working to raise awareness, foster understanding, and champion inclusivity. His commitment to making a positive impact is evident in his participation in all activities organised by Autism Seychelles. Frederick was also a silver medallist at this year’s Indian Ocean island games.
In an interview, the director for Disabled in the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports, Marco Gerry, described the event as successful and said this has been possible through the assistance of various non-government organisations and volunteers. “We hope that in the future, more people can come up to give that support. Even if you do not necessarily participate in these sort of things, you can come down and socialise with people that you know.”
To kick off the event, there was a special prayer by Deacon Christian Toulon. The afternoon included several dance performances and songs to entertain the crowd. Also present were National Assembly member Naddy Zialor and Minister for Youth, Sports and Family, Marie-Celine Zialor.
Sunny Esparon
Photos by Louis Toussaint
