Children encouraged to showcase creativity, talent to cope with home confinement in Seychelles

A series of noncompetitive activities has been launched by Unique Foundation –a not for profit organization - to help children remain active and engage in positive activities as they are forced to stay at home. (Unique Foundation) 

(Seychelles News Agency) - Children in Seychelles are being encouraged to reconnect with spirituality, showcase their creativity and develop their talents as a way of coping with home confinement due to COVID-19. 

A series of noncompetitive activities has been launched by Unique Foundation –a not for profit organisation - to help children remain active and engage in positive activities as they are forced to stay at home.

Farida Camille, a member of Unique Foundation – which is based on the second-most populated island of Praslin - said that these activities were launched so that children can fully use their moment at home as well as develop their life skills. 

“Be inspired, develop your talents and creativity, connect with your environment at home, appreciate moments with family and take this time to develop resilience including spiritual resilience,” said Camille. 

Children can show their talents and creativity through, music, including gospels and inspirational songs, poems, artworks, story writing, photography as well as developing their culinary skills. (Unique Foundation) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Children in Seychelles – 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean – are in home confinement as schools on all three main islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue closed down right after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed on March 14.

Since then schools made arrangements for lessons to be delivered online and even broadcasted on national media.

But the Foundation and its partners felt that there must be other activities to keep children engaged and at the same time safe at home. Children can show their talents and creativity through, music, including gospels and inspirational songs, poems, artworks, story writing, photography as well as developing their culinary skills.

“We want these to reflect actual life situations, illustrate a story from a passage in the bible, relate to your environment and your emotions during this time at home, capture interesting moments in nature,” explained Camille who added that students can submit their works in any of the three national languages of Creole, English and French. Children are encouraged to also present projects using recycled materials which they have done individually or with their families.  

“Every project will be recognized and will be included in children activities. For those whose work excels expectation these will be published in a special book,” Camille said, adding that “newly composed songs will also be produced professionally in studios.” 

A series of noncompetitive activities has been launched by Unique Foundation –a not for profit organization - to help children remain active and engage in positive activities as they are forced to stay at home. (Unique Foundation) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

Marc Arissol – a parent to an eight-year-old son, said that what the foundation is doing is an excellent initiative. “They have stepped in and offering support to parents who have their hands full and do not know how to keep their kids occupied. Lessons are being given, but not all parents can keep up with lessons plans and at the same time keeping kids entertained.”

“I first thought that this was restricted to children from Praslin only, but as it is for all kids, it’s a great way to keep these little minds busy, and in some activities, we can participate as a family,” said Lynn Betsy, a mother of three.

Additional information on the activities can be found on the Foundation's Facebook page. Children have three weeks to finalise and submit their creations as the reopening of the schools is scheduled for May 18, if there are no new cases of COVID-19.

(Unique Foundation) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

(Unique Foundation) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

(Unique Foundation) Photo License: All Rights Reserved