Educate Exchange Connection Ambassadors celebrate Soroptimist Friendship Day with SISWP President Siew Yong Gnanalingam.

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Soroptimists from 9 countries in the SI South West Pacific (SISWP) Federation have
taken part in an exchange programme to promote international friendship and
understanding and encourage greater participation by younger women in the
Soroptimist movement.

The
participants, all women under the age of 45, gathered in Kuala Lumpur before travelling
on to their exchange destination to spend 5-7 days visiting Soroptimist projects
and learning about work being done for marginalised women and girls.

During their initial three days
in Malaysia, the Ambassadors experienced a hectic schedule of visits, talks and
workshops. The first day of the visit was 3 October, Soroptimist International Club
Friendship Day.  SISWP President Siew
Yong Gnanalingam, who initiated the Educate, Exchange, Connection programme, welcomed the visitors to her
home to celebrate this occasion with an evening of friendship and camaraderie.  

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture provided a day’s
introduction for the visitors, starting with a briefing at their office and a
tour of the administrative city, Putrajaya.  In the evening, the Ambassadors enjoyed a Malaysian
Cultural evening and dinner and tried out some traditional dancing!

Beh Suat Pheng, SWP Membership Coordinator (Asia)
conducted a workshop on membership and extension, discussing how to encourage
young women to join Soroptimist International clubs and engage them in SI’s work.  Anusha Santhirasthipam, SI’s Immediate
Past Assistant International Programme Director then briefed the Ambassadors on
the movement’s relationship with the UN.

“This really helped put the international role of SI in perspective for
me, and make connections between my local club/region and our UN mandate”,
explains Hayley Denoual of SI Wellington (New Zealand). “I think the
opportunities this presents for us to positively influence our world leaders
and make a global impact on the lives of women and girls could be a big
motivation for new and younger members to engage with SI.”

 

After their stay in Kuala Lumpur, the Ambassadors
travelled on to their exchange destination. Rachael Taylor, President of SI Nelson (New Zealand) visited SI Jakarta
(Indonesia).  She visited a school for
street children, which aims to change the culture or need for begging, a
club initiative in partnership with a government agency to provide help and
information for women and children who are affected by domestic violence, and
an agricultural programme that provides education and work opportunities.  

 “Even though all the ambassadors are from different
countries and cultures, we are striving to achieve the same goals to empower
young women and children who don’t have the same opportunities as we do and to
not accept violence or trafficking or begging as their normal way of life", says Rachael.  "Our countries all have similar issues but
because population, geographical position or our economic status are so
different we find our own ways to achieve our goals – that is strength in
diversity.”  

Keshvi
Lal, the Ambassador from SI Fiji, was hosted by SI Singapore Garden City.

“It was touching to acknowledge what
a wonderful organization we all belong to, to be able to share the same passion
for service no matter which part of the world we belong to. Hats off to the
ladies of Soroptimist Singapore who despite their busy schedule were able to
share their projects and experiences with me. I was able to visit their project
areas such as the Mayflower High School where they run bursary scholarships,
The Sree Narayana Mission Home where the ladies do their monthly hair cutting
for the residents and Cheshire Home for the Severely Disabled where they do
spring cleaning. I must say that this was a truly inspirational visit and it gave
me a lot of ideas to take back home.”

 

The participants’ flights to and from Malaysia were sponsored by AirAsia and AirAsia X, with additional flights
from Air Niugini and the SISWP Federation meeting
the costs of airport tax and fuel charges.  The Ambassadors were hosted in
Kuala Lumpur and in their destination countries by Soroptimist members and
their families.

EEC Ambassador Any Aryany (Indonesia) visits Nayawa Village (Fiji)

See more pictures here (click on the flickr link at top left corner to see with captions):

 

More reports form the EEC ambassadors will be shared via the SoroptiVoice
blog in the coming weeks. For more updates and photos visit the Educate, Exchange
Connection New Zealand Ambassadors Facebook page, the SISWP
Facebook page or  the Soroptimist SISWP Federation website