Dear Friends,

M A Y -  is the month where  we are reminded of two special people MOTHERS  in our lives
– our Heavenly mother - Mother Mary to whom the month of May  is dedicated in her honour. She is the universal mother to every Catholic.  Her motherly qualities of patience, humility, obedience and devotion are qualities to be imbibed by every mother.
- our own MOTHER and all the Mothers around the world – as we celebrate Mother’s Day –on the 9th of May, 2004. 
Mother’s day was initially marked by women's peace groups only and the common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War.

In 1907 Mother's Day was first celebrated in a small private way West Virginia by Anna Jarvis to commemorate her mother’s death. As a custom to honour mother’s  Mother's Day spread, and the emphasis has now shifted to a general appreciation of mothers.

Mother’s are really special people and it is rightly said “God could not be everywhere so he created Mothers” A mother is referred to be God’s representative on earth and this is indeed an undisputed fact –  for truly a mother is a person who is with her child “from the Womb to the Tomb”

Women Vision brings to you – Sylvia Maria Clarissa Pais – Principal of the ILA KINDERGARTEN SCHOOL  in Abu Dhabi (also called ILA, which is run by the Board of Governors of Indian Ladies Association under the direct supervision of  the Indian Embassy) She is instrumental in moulding the young minds of children in their formative years. A motherly and friendly figure she is the driving force behind the success of the school. The mother of one son (currently working in USA)  and nearly a 1000 children in her school – she is “doubly” a Mother as a Teacher takes the place of a mother at school.  She is lovingly called “Pais Ma’am” by  her 850 students and staff of the school.

Sylvia hails  from the Goveas family from Jeppu in  Mangalore. Being the youngest  of nine siblings she has 5 elder sisters and 3 brothers. She did her early primary schooling in a catholic missionary school and  completed the high school and pre-university at St. Agnes college, Mangalore.

After completion of her PUC in Mangalore, she proceeded to Kolkata to be with eldest sister and graduated from University of Kolkata with Economics & Politics and specialized in Human Psychology. Simultaneously she also qualified herself as trained teacher of Nursery, Kindergarten & Primary Schools from Loretto House College under Education Department of West Bengal. Besides have a credit of Maria Montessori Training with Distinction.

With 12 years of teaching experience in Don Bosco Boys School, Park Circus, Kolkata run by Salesian Priests  to her credit she landed in Abu Dhabi where her beloved spouse, a financial executive, working for a parent oil company in Abu Dhabi  was awaiting her.  She joined  the ILA Creche, Nursery & Kindergarten School in 1981 as a teacher and with her capabilities, her dedication and her wonderful rapport with the tiny tots, she was promoted to the post of School Principal  and during the twenty three years tenure, the schools has grown in leaps and bounds due to her foresight and vision.

Sylvia has the proud distinction of being the recipient of Hard Workers Gold Medal and also the  ILA’s President’s Rolling Gold Medal.

“I love music, Cooking, Collecting sarees with selective prints, reading, watching movies & house keeping and ofcourse to be in the company of the mischievous tiny tots” says Sylvia. Her love for the children and her caring nature has made her a celebrity amon