Africa-Press – Seychelles. To commemorate the International Social Work Day yesterday, Vice-President Ahmed Afif, accompanied by the Minister for Employment and Social Affairs, Patricia Francourt, visited the offices at the social affairs department at Unity House.
This is the first time VP Afif conducts such visit at the social affairs department and it was also a good opportunity to hear from the staff and get their suggestions on how to improve the department.
After meeting all the staff, the VP and Minister Francourt had a meeting with the management of the department.
While addressing the staff, VP Afif wished all the social workers and the staff of the ministry a happy International Social Work Day.
“It is a pleasure for me to be among you this morning and able to meet you and understand your role – your challenges and your daily routine so that we can find the right solutions. What is evident for us is an increase in social problems in our society. These problems have aggravated in such a way that they have affected several generations. Mothers, fathers, in laws are all being affected. The work does not rely on you alone! It will depend on the education, parents and places of work. You are one of the links in this battle and it is usually more difficult for you as you have to deal with these problems right at the onset.”
VP Afif also noted he was impressed that some of the staff have been working for many years at the department. “I am sure that you are doing the job with your heart and you want to help the people. You give counsel and you hear people out. After hearing what you told me today, I can see some issues in conducting your work after doing all the investigations. Your role is very important as you help the families to function. Family is the most important institution of the community and it makes the country work. Our country cannot keep losing our generations. We have to make an effort to pull up the society and I am proud of you all. The government will keep supporting you as your work is noble. It helps a great deal to know that the department is faring well.”
Principal secretary for social affairs, Linda William-Melanie, thanked the VP and the minister for their visit and also shared the satisfaction of the staff.
“Every International Social Work Day we do something symbolic and we always say prayers for the ones suffering, the ones going through war and for us to give the selfless service.”
In the meeting, Minister Francourt shared that they talked about having a centre that can accommodate all services under one roof so that the victims do not have to wander from office to office; the importance of a women’s shelter and a juvenile shelter and also about the staff welfare.
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