(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles’ Hilton Labriz Silhouette hotel is raising funds to finance a bookstore at the President's Village, a home for children, in the western Mahe district of Port Glaud.

The hotel has set up a Christmas market that will be open until December 26. All money collected will be going to the bookstore.

“All the items that are on sale are natural products from Silhouette Island, for example. We have a kiosk where there are coconut products that were made by one of the hotel workers in his free time,” the general manager of the hotel, André Borg, told SNA.  

Coconut products made by one of the hotel workers. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

"The kids are very happy to come to the hotel and Hilton organises activities for the home throughout the year,” said Mickael Rouillon, the manager of the children’s home. About 15 children who live in the President's Village were invited to go to the Hilton Hotel located on Silhouette, the third-biggest island, to introduce visitors to the market through Christmas carolling performance.

A group of visual artists, sculptures, photographers and contemporary artists in Seychelles -- SeyLar -- with a gallery on Silhouette island decided to participate in this charitable work by helping children paint their drawings that were then auctioned.

Paintings done by children are being auctioned at the Christmas market. (Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

During the first evening, half of the paintings were sold. A German tourist who bought one for the equivalent of $171 said that he will be hanging it on his Christmas tree to remember the Seychellois children.

The sale of paintings yielded nearly $1,140.

"You know, people are very generous especially at this time of the year, and when they know it's for children, they are very much in favour," said Borg.