VICTORIA, Seychelles — The Citizens Engagement Platform Seychelles (Ceps) held its fourth annual Volunteers Award ceremony at the Eden Bleu Hotel, marking ten years since the organisation was founded to recognise and reinvigorate volunteerism in the country. The event brought together representatives of associations, sponsors, and the families of volunteers.
This year’s ceremony was distinguished by the awarding of the Best Volunteer 2024 prize to Rosie Morel, a retired nurse who has dedicated more than 35 years of service to community associations, including the Cancer Concern Association, the Red Cross Society of Seychelles, Special Olympics Seychelles, and groups focused on autism and Alzheimer.
Ceps has used the platform of the awards to argue that volunteers remain under-recognised in Seychelles despite the depth of their contribution. The organisation has called on workplaces to encourage staff volunteerism and to provide time and resources for staff to engage with civil society groups. “It is every person’s role as a citizen to help in society,” the platform said in remarks delivered at the ceremony.
The awards also recognised runners-up and category winners drawn from across the voluntary sector. Ceps said it intends to expand the programme in 2025 to include mentorship pairings between experienced volunteers and younger entrants, in an effort to sustain the volunteer pipeline that has been built over the past decade.
