Volunteers return home from Africa

“Seychelles medical facilities, were not good!”

It was anything but comfortable, but Chinese doctor Zhang Cong said his yearlong stay as a volunteer in the Seychelles was a happy one.

“The living and working conditions, especially the medical facilities, were not good,” the 26-year-old said after returning home last week. “But I felt very happy when I was spending time with the patients.” “I have become a friend to them.”

The doctor from Guangzhou was one of 10 volunteers dispatched last year to the Seychelles, an island state located in the southwest Indian Ocean, by the Guangzhou Youth Volunteers Association. The archipelago has the smallest population of any sovereign state in Africa. “The locals became very interested in traditional Chinese medical practices. We felt we had really helped make a difference to promote traditional Chinese culture there,” Zhang said.

“People there now know what Chinese acupuncture and massage are. I think it is very helpful in strengthening understanding between the two countries,” he said. Over the past year, as well as conducting 600 medical procedures and treating more than 13,700 patients, the team of 10 volunteers taught music and tourism students. At the China-Africa summit in Beijing in 2006, China promised to dispatch about 300 volunteers to African countries over three years. It will also help train 15,000 African professionals and send 100 senior agricultural experts to the continent.

Following the completion of the one-year stint by the first group of medical staff and teachers, the Guangzhou Youth Volunteers Association recently launched a campaign to recruit 12 new people to work in hospitals and schools, and to train athletes in the Seychelles.

Xie Tianwen, secretary of the association said this year’s group includes seven doctors and nurses, two music teachers, a Chinese language teacher and table tennis and gymnastics coaches.

They will leave for the island after the Chinese New Year, he said.

“As China pledged to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Africa at the China-Africa summit, we will select young volunteers with strong professional skills to work there,” Xie said.

Source: China Daily

18th Seychelles Scouts sponsored by His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammad El Qasimi ruler of Sharjah

9 year old Ron Hoareau from the Seychelles Scouts Association was among the participants in Sharjah for the third international scouts camping last month on the 17th January under the theme “Scouting and Humanitarian Work”

The gathering, which continued up to Jan 23rd last month was organised by the Sharjah Scouts Commission in cooperation with the UAE Scouts Association and the international Scouts Associations. 143 scouts, representing 96 Arab and foreign countries took part in the event.

His highness the ruler of Sharjah Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad El-Qasemmi, sponsored travel expenses and accommodation of one scout from each National Scouting organizations in the world. The six day gathering was aimed at informing participants about the role of scouts association in humanitarian relief work, besides honing their skills.

Speaking at the third international scouts camping the Sharjah Scouts commission at Al Badea district, Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed El Quasimi reiterated that the scouts gathering this year focuses on consolidating relations between the scouts and humanitarian work and also had this message for them:

“We encourage you to initiate new humanitarian work in line with the activities of scout society; such as helping people with special needs to alleviate their difficulties”.

A busy sporting, cultural and educational programme awaited Ron Hoareau in Sharjah.

He had to prepare and cook a traditional cultural dish and prepare a 10 minute presentation of experiences of the Seychelles Scouts Association in the field of crisis management and emergency recovery activities. He also had to bring with him souvenirs from Seychelles and travel with printed photographs and poster materials for an exhibition. On the other hand he got to learn about the development of the scouts’ movement in the country and got the chance to visit many places around Sharjah and the island of Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Meanwhile here in Seychelles, other members of the Seychelles Scouts Association were busy getting ready to welcome and entertain visitors from the “Peace boat” on 31st January. 2008. It looks like another busy scouting year for the association.