The Seychelles has its own challenges and with 33% of the population under the age of 18, it is imperative that we begin to reach out to those that will soon become the decision makers and custodians of the oceans and islands that make up the Seychelles and which North Island forms part of.
There is a growing concern in the Seychelles and a need to increase public awareness on issues relating to our children’s well being. The Seychelles government and various NGO’s are already actively involved in educating and improving conditions for the disadvantaged children of the Seychelles and we could be instrumental in assisting in this plight to raise the awareness and education of the population.
There is an ever increasing need on both a social and environmental level to inform the children of the Seychelles. Socially, to improve their quality of life, and environmentally, to ensure that we protect our natural heritage and to become concerned and proactive in maintaining and improving the environment of the Seychelles.
The Children in the Wilderness Seychelles program is designed to work within these areas of concern and focus and on educating the children in this regard. The program includes the need to protect our environment and educates the children in both marine and terrestrial environmental issues pertinent to Seychelles. The programme is also designed to educate the children on social, health, environmental and moral issues.
Institutes in the Seychelles responsible for the well being of children cater for a broad range of problems. The most common is child abuse and orphanages are full of social orphans, victims of abuse rather than children who have been abandoned by their parents. There is also an emerging problem with regards to HIV/Aids and a focus on broadening the education and awareness of this is important.
North Island has partnered with the National Council for Children, NCC, for their assistance in this program and are pleased to have their support. The NCC provides assists us with guidance in the curriculum: providing trained councilors for the programme ; staff training for the North Island staff in various aspects of counseling; follow up programming and identifying participants who would benefit from the Children in the Wilderness experience.
In June 2006, we closed the doors to paying guests on North Island and hosted 36 disadvantaged Seychellois children for the time of their lives. It was the first ever Children in the Wilderness on North Island and hopefully the beginning of many more! North Island staff teamed up with the National Council for Children, an organization on Mahe, to run the programme, the only project of its knd in the Seychelles
The mission statement was “through love, commitment and exposure to our environment make these broken children whole again”, and as one of the councilors said, “it was three and a half days filled with laughter, the most incredible energy and endless learning for the kids and all involved. It was the children, however who put it best: “I thank you with love and happiness. Thank you for keeping me safe from danger and sharing your kindness with me. I am glad for the friends that I made on this island.”
We look forward to hosting many more Children in the Wilderness programmes on North Island, every second year.