Women Trust Fund donates to two projects benefitting women and girls |03 December 2021

Mr Matombe handing over the cheque to the recipient

The Women Trust Fund (WTF) on Wednesday presented a grant of R37,000 and R28,900 for two projects aimed at building the capacity and supporting initiatives that will enhance the lives of women and girls.

The two donations took place at the University of Seychelles’ (UniSey) Mont Fleuri campus. In the first presentation, the acting chairman of the trust fund, Jean Claude Matombe, presented the cheque for R28,900 to Justin Zelime, the Dean of Falculty of Arts and Social Development at UniSey. The money will be used to buy books for research purposes for the Health and Social Care department under the faculty.

Present were Vice-Chancellor Joëlle Perreau and staff of UniSey and of WTF, board members Janick Bru (secretary) and Christine Weber (treasurer).

Mr Matombe said that WTF has over the years invested in several research exercises such as the impact of shift work on women.

He noted that last year when the Covid-19 had really affected the lives of many, WTF provided grants to a number of women entrepreneurs who either wanted to start a small business or who wanted to offer services that would help young people and persons living with disabilities.

He added that the fund is continuing its work in terms of contributing to capacity building for greater self reliance and to help develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills such as this donation to the University of Seychelles which is meant to add to a selection of books to the library.

“We hope the reference books will contribute to the environment of the student’s learning,” he said.

On the part of UniSey, Vice-Chancellor Perreau said the grant is timely due to the fact that the present number and variety of academic resources at the university is very limited as a result of unavailability of sufficient funds as well as suitable suppliers.

“Therefore, this donation will assist the university, more precisely the Health and Social Care department, to deliver more quality modules and prepare more challenging and practical assignments,” she said.

Vice-Chancellor Perreau added that there is an urgent need to mainstream education about violence against women and girls and the university is to consider the potential integration and impact of the subject in all of its programmes delivered.

“The ultimate aim of the university is to contribute towards the national agenda for an improved and better qualified human resource, and for that I thank the Seychelles Women Trust Fund for approving this project,” she added.

For the second donation, it was Greena Cupidon, an ex-teacher from the School for the Exceptional Child, Roche Caiman who received the grant of R37,000 from Mr Matombe for her life re-skilling project to young girls who were past students at the Vocational Training Centre (VTC), at North East Point, which is now closed and awaiting to be renovated.

Mrs Cupidon said that she trains the young girls in many life aspects for them to be independent and to depend on themselves especially in this time of the pandemic. The practical trainings in different aspects take place once a week at her residence at Le Niol, and is followed on the other days by site visits to places, including shopping for materials for the trainings, all in line with the life skill training she offers. She thanked the trust fund granting her the money and vowed that it will be put into good use.

Both UniSey and Mrs Cupidon applied for the grant which was approved by the board members of the trust fund.

The Women Trust Fund’s mandate is to provide access to resources to invest in capacity building, aimed at developing self-reliance and leadership and entrepreneurial skills; mobilise resources and award grants to support innovative and practical initiatives aimed at solving social related problems affecting women in the community and to focus on programmes and issues affecting women in the community and promote social justice and non-discrimination. It was established in 2011.

Patrick Joubert