(Seychelles News Agency) - With restrictions in place limiting the number of mourners who can attend a funeral in Seychelles, families and friends are finding alternative ways to say goodbye, including through live streaming the ceremony.

In January, after a sudden increased in the number of community transmitted cases Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, the health ministry introduced new restrictions, including limiting the numbers of attendees at a funeral to 15.

A Seychellois team, Tropix Studios, is offering live stream funeral services for people unable to attend the service for a starting price of SCR 5,000 ($236).

Tropix Studios is a multimedia company in Seychelles providing professional services in various fields such as live streaming, videography, photography, graphics design, website design and social media management.

The company provides live streaming as well as other professional services. (Tropix) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

The company was launched in 2018 by Steve Nibourette, Alex Zelime and Alvin Abel.

Nibourette told SNA that with the restrictions "allowing only 15 family members to attend funerals, we felt that our service can help grieving family members who are not able to attend the funeral service."

"A few days after the strict restrictions ... one of our team members came up with the idea of live streaming," Nibourette explained.

A person looking to assist a virtual service needs to obtain a link from the family or friend who booked the service in order to access the live stream that is currently being aired on YouTube and Facebook.

"Using a live streaming service can benefit our clients by saving costs with fewer logistics and planning to organise the usual big events, rent out smaller space to showcase their products or events and in turn get the advantage to reach an unlimited number of people," said Nibourette.

Nibourette said that restrictions in place live streaming is the best alternative to get a large number of viewers. (Tropix) Photo License: All Rights Reserved

He added that with the COVID-19 restrictions in place live streaming is the best alternative to reach a large group of viewers."

Viewers can watch Livestream and also replay the stream anytime they want on their mobile devices, laptops, computers or smart tv, the only thing required is stable internet access.

One person who has used the service, Maria Laurencine, told SNA that the service is a very useful tool in the new normal.

"In view of the restrictions of downsizing to 15 people attending a funeral, and the fact that my mother was a very well-known person in her career as a nurse, it served the purpose. Her colleagues and patients could pay their last respect by watching," said Laurencine.

The video, which was streamed on her Facebook profile, received over 70 comments and 128 likes.

"We are planning to make the service more mobile in the future as there are some venues or locations that don't have electricity and also bad network reception for stable internet access. Also, we are planning to start streaming on multiple social media platforms at the same time to reach out to a bigger audience," said Nibourette.