VICTORIA, Seychelles — Youths who submitted their entries for the Environment Photography Competition under the theme ‘Nature through the lens’ were presented with their prizes on Friday evening. The competition was the first activity launched by the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC) in December 2024, as part of the Every Step Counts environment project.
In the ages 18-24 category, Rya Joubert clinched first place, while Kaleb Dogley and Nalla Mondon came in second and third, respectively. Nalla impressed the judging panel with her shot of a polluted river. ‘I feel satisfied with my results. I am happy that I actually won a prize, I thought I would only get a certificate of participation,’ she shared. ‘I wanted to tell the story of rivers. These days, people do not make much use of the river because we have access to bottled water, water tanks and showers. I also realised that the river was very beautiful, but there was quite some pollution, which I chose to focus on,’ she explained. Nalla took the photograph not far from her home, while out on a walk. She likes to photograph beautiful landscapes, as well as capture memories with her family.
Brendan Laurence claimed first place in the ages 25-35 category, followed by Abjit Shil in second, and Abraham Brioche in third place. Aisha Fanchette was awarded first place for her captivating image of a sea turtle in its natural habitat, in the ages 15-17 category. Shahid Burka took second place. ‘Turtles are an endangered species in Seychelles and I chose the image to spread awareness about its importance, and why it needs protection. There is a lot of poaching in Seychelles,’ said Ms Fanchette. A total of 47 youths showcased their talent and environmental awareness through the competition. Chief executive of the Seychelles National Youth Council (SNYC), Albert Duncan highlighted the SNYC’s efforts to empower youths through art, with the support of partners such as the National Arts and Crafts Council (NACC), as well as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which are funding the project.
