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Youth
exchange between Seychelles and Maldives
Seychelles youth exchange group: Ms. Farida Camille (left), Marc
Lesperance, Alize Ferrari, Jean-Marc Athanase, Anna-Rita Stravens
(The fifth student, Lorraine Stravens, is missing from the photo)
Students
from Praslin Secondary School have been actively involved in the
Small Islands Voice internet-based youth forum. In April 2002
they posted a very interesting article
on recycling and the students' article has had an impact on
other students in their school. Five students from Secondary four,
aged 14-15 years: Jean-Marc Athanase, Lorraine Stravens, Alizee
Ferrari, Marc Lesperance and Anna-Rita Stravens, aided by their
teacher, Ms. Farida Camille (see photo above), expressed an interest
in visiting students in another island country that takes part
in the Small Islands Voice youth forum and embarking on a joint
project.
As
a result of this initiative, contacts were made with schools in
the Maldives, and Mr. Ahmed Saeed, Principal of Madhrasathul Ahmadhiyya
in Male, Maldives, responded in a very proactive manner with an
offer to host the Seychelles students and to provide board and
lodging.
Prior
to the exchange visit, which took place from 4-12 January 2004,
the Seychelles students worked hard to
raise funds for their airfares. A packed programme
was prepared for the Seychelles students together with seven students
from Madharsathul Amadiyya, Male, Maldives. The students met with
officials from the Ministry of Education, as well as the Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources; they participated
in an environmental workshop,
and had several field visits to places of interest on Villingili,
Hulhumale and Thilafushi and Maafushi, including the garbage separation
site, a drug rehabilitation centre, a craft centre and a tuna
factory. The students also had the honour of meeting
with the President of the Maldives, Mr. Abdul Gayoom, during
the visit. The photos and movie
clips (see 1st clip and 2nd
clip) of the visit show that there was also time for sports
and relaxation including swimming and night fishing. The visit
culminated with a cultural show featuring traditions and culture
from both countries. During the visit the students decided to
target a zero tolerance for littering at their respective schools
as a joint project for the year to sustain a good and healthy
environment. Students felt that starting from education at school,
the youth could be sensitised on how to discard litter appropriately
and even make use of certain components of litter in terms of
recycling. It was felt that littering is one of the starting points
of pollution and hence needs to be tackled early before it contributes
towards other major problems. After the visit the students prepared
a report and the Ministry of
the Environment in Seychelles prepared an overview.
At
the end of 2004, it was the turn of the Maldivian students to
visit their counterparts in Seychelles. From 12th to 19th December
2004, a group of six students from Amaddhiya School in Male, Maldives,
accompanied by their teacher, Mr. Hassan, visited Mahe and Praslin.
Their programme for that week
was very packed, and besides discussions on their respective projects
relating to 'Zero tolerance for littering', they had lunch with
the Minister for the Environment, Mr. Ronny Jumeau, and met with
the Vice President of Seychelles. They also had time for cultural
evenings, and visits to places of interest in Seychelles. Ruby
Goorye has written about their time together in Mahe
and Vanessa Lesperance has written about the Praslin
experiences. Ruby
Goorye has written about their time together in Mahe
and Vanessa Lesperance has written about the Praslin
experiences, whilst a full report
on the visit of the Maldivian students is also available.
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