Christmas lunch Pillay R Group spreads the Christmas cheers to orphanages More than 55 children and adolescents hailing from three orphanages were treated to a special Christmas lunch by Pillay R group, a local business chain that has been organising similar charitable events for the past 11 years. Held at Palm Residence at the former Le Surmer restaurant at Ma Joie, the event saw the participation of the Minister for Community Development, Social Affairs and Sports, Vincent Meriton, Pillay R Group’s director, Ramu Pillay and Santa Claus - who came bearing gifts for the children on that special day. By SS Thursday December 25 was a special day for the children of Foyer de la Solitude, Nazareth and Providence. A festive and joyous atmosphere awaited them at Palm Residence at Ma Joie where the ocean-facing deck was decorated and embellished to match the holiday season. In a special message to those present, Minister Meriton said that despite the fact that Christmas is a moment of joy and celebration, “we must not forget those who are less fortunate. This whole event shows the passion, humanity and commitment in helping the youth and the less fortunate,” he said, adding that, “this is also a message to parents and the important role they have to play. Children deserve the best of what their parents have to offer. As their guardians, you must remain vigilant to the social ills that exist while creating the optimum atmosphere for your children. Children represent our future and they all deserve a chance to learn, grow and develop so they can become productive members of society,” he said, adding that, “we have undertaken an extensive campaign whereby we spoke to the community about the rights of children and we thank Pillay R Group for its generosity and hope it continues to bring smiles to the children’s faces.” The Minister concluded his speech by thanking Mr Pillay and his family and wished all those who were present a merry Christmas. The children then received a gift each from Santa Claus who joined the Minister and Mr Pillay in taking souvenir photographs to mark the event. It was during lunch when Sister Suzanne, one of the nuns working at Foyer de La solitude told TODAY in Seychelles that, “this day has brought a lot of joy to the children. They often feel the absence of their parents as they spend a lot of time at the home – so this is a good opportunity for them to get out, socialise and enjoy themselves,” she said. Sister Suzanne explained that the orphanage is currently under renovation and that space is limited. “We do the best we can with what we have; but we urge all those who can give us a helping hand to do so,” she said while extending her thanks to the company for organising the event. For his part, Mr Pillay told TODAY that, “it is through helping that we find real joy that only comes from inside. It is something that you never want to stop – which is why we have been doing it for all these years. I may not always be able to attend as I am doing today, but you can rest assured that Pillay R Group will continue to support such events. This is a tradition I want to see my family carry on as it will remain an annual fixture for us. Children are our future and it is important that we safeguard this future,” concluded the businessman. The group will also organise a similar lunch in honour of the disabled on 31 December. With its two decades of business experience, Pillay R Group has made its name as one of the leading business conglomerates in Seychelles. It specialises in consumer goods such as electronic appliances, information technology, retail, as well hospitality and money changing.
Posted on: Sun, 28 Dec 2014 08:30:47 +0000
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