Press Releases

The 2007 U.S. Ambassador's Special Self-Help Program

February 12, 2007

The United States Embassy invites proposals for the Ambassador’s 2007 Self Help Fund Program.  Application forms are available online from the Embassy’s Virtual Presence Post website: http://seychelles.usvpp.gov/.  Please follow the links to "Self-Help Program" to download the form.

Each year, the United States Embassy provides grants under the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund to non-governmental organizations, schools, community groups, health and environmental associations and other organizations for projects that directly benefit communities in Seychelles.  We encourage all non-profit organizations to apply.

The grants, usually between Rs 5,000 - Rs 40,000, are designed to supplement funding and resources already available from other sources.

Projects receiving funding through this program should:

• Improve basic economic and social conditions at the grassroots level;
• Support high-impact, quick-implementation activities that benefit a large number of people;
• Involve a significant local contribution in cash, labor, or material, and be within the ability of the local community to operate and maintain;
• Be welcomed and supported by the local community; and
• Whenever possible, contribute to income-generating or self-sustaining activities.

Viable projects addressing the needs of women and children, economic development, HIV-AIDS prevention, environmental protection, and anti-drug education will be given priority.

Self-Help regulations prohibit funding projects of a purely religious nature.

The deadline for the submission of proposals is March 30, 2007.