Mrs. Virginia Francoise Larue Biography
Mrs. Virginia Francoise Larue was born at Anse Royale, Mahe, Seychelles, on 28th December 1959. She completed her primary and secondary studies at Anse Boileau and at Regina Mundi Convent School respectively were she completed her O’ levels. She joined the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in December 1977 but was recruited in 1979 to join the Nursing profession. Graduated in General Nursing in 1983 and Midwifery in 1984.
Then she was seconded to the Ministry of Education and Culture to work as a Nurse for the National Youth Service but was transferred in 1988 to work as Delegate for relations in the Ministry of Education.
Mrs. Larue attended Short course on “Methods and techniques of Youth work” organized jointly by the Commonwealth Youth Program Africa center and the Ministry of Education Information and Youth in 1987. Probation Services Course organize by the Ministry of Internal Affairs
In 1992 Mrs. Larue was taken to work with a newly form Ministry, of Local Government as Liaison officer to the District councils. She attended a course in public relations and communications skills organized by the Ministry of Local Government, Youth and Sports –and a series of short Courses in Managing People, Leadership, Supervisory Skills Development, Team Building organized by Seychelles Institute of Management. She obtained a Certificate in Personnel Management – Seychelles Institute of Management.
She attend various workshops on environment and training on the Management of Community Services and Development for District Administrators and upper level managers facilitated by Dr. Nachman Sharon from the school of Social work University of Haifa Israel in collaboration with Ministry of Local Government Youth & Sports in June1995. Atelier – Stratégies de gestion de l’environnement – Programme conjoint Université du Québec a Montréal et le Division de L’environnement – Seychelles février / mars 1996
In1996 Mrs Larue attended an International course on Planning and Management of the urban environment conducted at National Institute of Public Administration, in tan, Malaysia.
She completed diploma in French Language from SIM in —-and a diplome de langue Française from the Alliance Française des Seychelles. In 1998 she was promoted to work as district Administrator in the Bel Ombre district.
In 2000 Mrs. Larue was promoted as the Director for National consumers Forum, sole Consumer organisation in Seychelles. There she was exposed to international workshops and conferences on consumer matters: Advocacy Skills Workshop on Women’s Right, ACRA, Ghana organized by multi-disciplinary African Women’s Health Network (MAWHN). July to August 2000Conference on Consumer Reports on Medicines held in Sigtuna, Kilen Sweden.
Workshops on consumer matters during the 16th World Congress organized by Consumers International held in Durban, South Africa held in November 2000. Regional Training Workshop on Gender, Leadership and Consumption in Africa organized by Consumers International Regional Office for Africa in Bamako, Mali, July 2001. COMESA Regional Conference on Competition Law and Policy, Nov 2001 organized by the International Law Institute of Uganda conjunction with UNTAD. Implementation Sustainable Consumption and Production Policies, May 2002, Paris, France organized by UNEP. COMESA Expert meeting on Regional Competition POLICY, Mango chi Malawi held – October 2002.Regional Seminar on Competition law and policy held at New Fairmount Hotel in Livings tone, Zambia on December 2002.
In 2003 she returned to work for the Ministry of Community Development. Francoise studied “Amenagemant de Haut” in Reunion and also received a certificated in General Management. In2005. Trained in Disaster preparedness and community development, planning and empowerment in May 2006.
She was then transferred to the post of Director for Housing administration and Property manager Providence industrial estate Ministry of Land Use and habitat Division and department of Industry & small business Ministry of Finance respectively. Mrs. Larue attended seminar on Science and technology in 2007 and course in strategic planning in April 2009 Plus Seminar on Policies and experience in Promoting Economic Growth by S&T in China 16th to 30th November in Beijing, Republic of China
Mrs. Larue joined the Department of Defence in March 2011 and to date is responsible to Staff Welfare in the military. In Nov.2012, she attended Training workshop on Planning Effective campaigns and communication Materials to implement the National Gender Policy and Plan of Action. Child protection Course- Bujumbura –Burundi in November 2013 Security Sector Reform Course Peace & Conflict studies School, Karen, Kenya in April 2014.
Civilian Foundation Course –Peace conflicts Studies School, Karen July 2015. The United Nations Protection Course at the Rwanda Peace Academy in Musanze, Rwanda in November 2015 and the Integrated Mission Planning Course 23 January to 03 February 2016 held at the SADC-RPTC in Zimbabwe another follow up in integrated Mission Planning in February / March 2018 at the SADC-RPTC in Zimbabwe. She also attended a local training in Gender Base Violence in Sept 2018.
Coming to Hobbies & Interests, Mrs. Larue enjoys working for civil society, special with parents children & youths.
Besides spending three years working for the Consumer Organisation NATCOF she also was the Vice and Chairperson of the Association for the solidarity for the family the leading NGO in Reproductive Health in Seychelles from 2012 to 2016.
Presently she is the chairperson of Survival Ark Foundation (SAF) with a vision of providing a safe and nurturing environment for children through empowerment and life changing activities hence bringing forth transformation in the community.
In the Civil Society Sector Mrs. Larue attended training in Strengthening NGO/Government for sustainable Development, partnership Workshop organized by Seychelles government and (LUNGOS) Local umbrella organization For NGO’S in August 2001. Seminar on Building –up capacity of Non-Governmental Organizations for developing countries. November 17th to December 7th in Fuzhou, in Rep. of China-2009
She also participated in the United Nations Conference Commission on Status of Women 22 in New York -February / March 2011
On 16th March 2018 Mrs. Larue was elected as the Commissioner for Social Health and Education on the Civil Society Platform (CEPS). In August 2018 she received Certificate in Ministry (Word of his Grace Bible Ministry).
Francoise is married, with two daughters and four granddaughters.