Mahe Shipping Donates R75,000 to Island Conservation Society for Aride Reroofing

VICTORIA, Seychelles — Mahe Shipping Company Ltd has donated R75,000 to the Island Conservation Society (ICS) to help finance the re-roofing project on Aride Island, a special nature reserve managed by the society in the northern inner islands.

Human Resources and Administration Support Executive for Mahe Shipping, Kristy Naiken, officially handed over the cheque to the chief executive of ICS, Norman Weber, at the Wheelhouse boardroom on Wednesday morning. Mr Weber explained that the funds will go directly towards replacing the roofs of staff accommodation units on Aride Island, using fibreglass sheeting to ensure longer durability given the island’s exposure to sea spray and corrosion.

‘Aride requires a lot of ongoing maintenance. Because it is a small island exposed to the sea, there’s a lot of corrosion, so we have to constantly maintain the roofing and other infrastructure to keep them in good condition,’ Mr Weber said. The society has already replaced two blocks with fibreglass roofing and purchased additional sheeting, with work to begin after the ongoing renovation of the old plantation lodge on Aride is completed.

For her part, Ms Naiken said the donation forms part of the company’s ongoing commitment to environmental and conservation initiatives. ‘Since Mahe Shipping operates more towards the ocean side, we feel conservation fits well with the environmental theme of our company,’ she noted, adding that the company chooses a different theme for its corporate giving each year.