As many people around the world celebrate Christmas and New Year, lots of Soroptimist clubs have been helping to spread
some seasonal cheer, particularly among women and
children who might otherwise miss out. You can see and read some examples in this month’s round-up.  Violence against women and girls has also continued as a theme for many SI clubs – projects from India, Mongolia and Malaysia  feature below.  

Have a look a the pictures of Soroptimists in action (or click here to see on Flickr if the slideshow below doesn’t work) and read more below.

Children’s Holiday Party – SI of Garden City (USA) helped bring holiday cheer to a
couple hundred children at a Community holiday party earlier this month. With
games, crafts, karaoke, refreshments, a visit with Santa, gift bags, and more,
there were lots of reasons for these kids to smile. SI Garden City Facebook Page

“Shake Rattle and Sing” – SI St Albans & District (UK) carol singers raised a
heart-warming £451 from generous train travellers for the St Albans and
Hertsmere Women’s Refuge. Members also brought gifts for women and children supported by the Refuge.

Supporting Kenyan women at St Albans Christmas Market – SI St Albans & District  members also braved the cold  with a jewelry stall supporting International Peace Initiatives (IPI). The money from
the sale of the jewellery goes to the women who made it, who are all living
with HIV. In addition 10% of sales goes to educating girls from the IPI Amani
Children’s home. The IPI tools are education, enterprise and empowerment. www.sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/

SI Bucharest (Romania)
working to save exceptional Noel kindergarten,
the only kindergarten in Romania where children with and without disabilities
are taught together. It has been severely affected by the economic
crisis, putting its future at risk. SI Bucharest Facebook Page

“Stars of Tomorrow”
celebrate with SI Bangalore (India) – 
President Sujatha and Laura of SI Bangalore regularly teach communicative English to interested students
after school hours. Christmas was celebrated with some students, they sang
carols and chocolates and gifts were distributed. SI Bangalore Facebook page

Remembering
Nirbhaya/Damini – SI South Kolkata (India) at silent protest march to mark the anniversary of the rape and murder of a 23 year old medical student by a gang in
Delhi on 16th December, 2012. The march was organised by “New Light”, an
organisation that provides healthcare, educational and recreational
opportunities and legal aid to children, young girls and women of Kalighat
community, proposes to send a petition to the President of India to build
awareness about the ongoing violence against women and designate December 16 as
‘Nirbhaya Divas’. SI South Kolkata Facebook Page

Sharing expertise
across borders: Dianne from SI Dundee speaks about modern day slavery in
Kolkata -President Bhaswati of SI South Kolkata (India) and Dianne
Stout from SI Dundee (UK) were speakers at a seminar on violence against women
and girls organised by Institute for Indian Mother & Child – Women Peace
Council at Sonarpur, in Kolkata. Dianne spoke about Modern Day Slavery while
President Bhaswati talked about women’s rights and empowerment. 

Donating a tablet
computer to youth group in Imatra (Finland) – the Soroptimist club donated a tablet computer to local
youth project "HAAVI". The organisation works with young people at
risk of being marginalised through volunteering; the computer will help them
enormously in communicating with the young people they support and accessing
information while they are working away from the office; for example they often
work with young people in cafés, libraries etc.

"See Solar Cook Solar" – SI St Austell and District (UK) raised awareness of solar
energy while supporting the “See Solar, Cook Solar” December 10 appeal,
demonstrating solar cooker and solar lamps at a stand in a shopping area.
Members of the public were encouraged to visit the stall with toasted marsh
mallows!

SI Ulaanbatar (Mongolia)
visited  a factory for visually
impaired people on 2 December, donating  a microwave, running tracks,  children’s clothes and toiletries for the Physical
Training Hall .

SI Darkhan (Mongolia) organized a seminar
on Domestic violence as part of the SISWP federation-wide Walk the Talk
campaign.

Walk the Talk – Soroptimist International Region of Malaysia, more than 500 people "Walked the Talk" against violence on 1 December. A symbolic 2 KM walk was followed by several
talks on "Prevention and Safety Tips ", "Women’s Rights", "Women
As Drug Mules ", "Cyber Crimes" and “Crimes Against Women "
and the screening of the new Soroptimist film, “Violence Against Women – A Year
to Make a Difference”.  After 2km, the walkers
were surprised by a flash mob dance by students from Asia Pacific University.