Red Cross Society of Seychelles appeals for aid to renovate HQ after Dec. 7 explosion

Esparon said they have not been able to do a comprehensive renovation on the building since the CCCL explosion on December 7. (Seychelles News Agency) 

The Red Cross Society of Seychelles (RCSS) has launched an appeal for assistance following the CCCL quarry company explosion on December 7, 2023, in which its headquarters was damaged. 

The secretary general of RCSS, Marie-May Esparon, told reporters that over the past seven months, they have not been able to do a comprehensive renovation on the building. She explained that this was mainly due to a lack of resources and the fact that they needed to allocate what they had to people in more urgent need.

"Our building is in the same state it was seven months ago, we have removed some of the larger debris. Our windows are still smashed and one of our warehouse doors is still blocked. We had to get someone to break one of the doors to access food for distribution. Our first aid kits are damaged and so are our computers. MCB (Mauritius Commercial Bank) gave us three laptops to use at the time and this is what we are using still," Esparon explained.

She said there is also a psychological aspect associated with the challenge they are facing today.

"We want to fix our building. Currently, it is not conducive for our staff, especially those who were present during the explosion. Today, we are still dealing with the aftershocks of the incident because we are reminded of it daily. We have not even decided how we will move forward, especially in terms of psychological support. We have staff who have expressed their concerns," added Esparon.

Bastienne showing the damages during the visit of Steve Recca, adviser for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief initiatives, accompanied by the U.S. Charge d'Affaires for Seychelles, Adham Loufti. (Seychelles News Agency)  Photo License: CC-BY

She said that RCSS has tried to make some repairs as best it can with the limited resources but even when it rains, "the water reaches our ankles because it accumulates inside. This is the state of our building. Whoever wants to come forward to assist is welcome to do so. We also still need food donations for people in need, because apart from the explosion there are also other cases of people who need assistance and services."   

Esparon emphasised that although their building is in such a state of disrepair, they intend to continue assisting people in need who depend on the Red Cross.

"We've never stopped working and giving assistance to people. When the explosion happened, we were among the first at the scene and today we are still working. From this incident, we discovered a number of social cases that we referred to ASP (Agency for Social Protection). This is why we stress the importance of continued support after disasters. These services and follow-ups are also important for people to get back on their feet. There are also assessments that we have to do," said Esparon.

She pointed out that an attempt to relocate was made but this has proven to be even more challenging due to a shortage of funds and "in the meantime, while we figure how to fix the building, we want to move, but this has been difficult. We have tried looking for somewhere else but either these places are not available or they are too expensive for us."

She confirmed that so far, they have a partner who has come forward to help them, however, they are also asking others to come forward if they can, due to the extent of the damage.

Esparon said that in the meantime the Red Cross would continue to fulfil its duty and "even if our building is in this state, our priority is the people that we are assisting. They need this help and we will continue to give it until it is not needed."