Nicole Michel tells us about the project work being done by SI Nyon, Switzerland for the Zinder Centre, Niger and the funds raised for See Solar, Cook Solar.

"2014 saw our 50^th anniversary and we decided to organise an easily
accessible fun pedestrian family rally for the local public on the SIE themes
of ‘Food and Water’ and ‘Let’s Go Green’ – creating a healthy environment.

 

Photo: Kindergarten Centre at Zinder, with Fatma Zara, who works as an assistant

In our pretty lakeside town of Nyon, we prepared a mile-long
itinerary  through the old town,
botanical gardens and alongside the marina with seven staging posts, three of which
were in collaboration with and located at local museums and one with a local
farmer, who brought along one of their milking cows!

Photo: The five new cookers used for cooking at the Zinder centre – November 2014

"At each post the participants had to answer a multiple choice quiz on
the themes of water and food: sourcing it locally and the best ways to reduce energy
waste and prevent pollution.

There was a food tasting post in which one had to discern between
locally sourced and imported fruit and vegetables, and a water tasting to
discern between bottled, tap and natural local spring water.

And there was a post where one had to carry a basin of water on one’s
head, just as many women elsewhere have to do every day to provide water for
their homes; both children and adults adored all of these games.

 

Photo:  Jean-Philippe Rapp, the new Godfather of the Association "Au Coeur du Niger" the project founded by Zinder – November 2014

This was for the raising of awareness.  Now how did we do the fund raising?

"A small fee was taken from participants at the start of the rally and a
sponsoring formula was available for the children to get extra financial
support from their families for their success in the rally. 

However the main source of funds came from the publication of a colour
booklet all about our club, about SI objectives and about the rally’s themes
and goals: this booklet was sponsored by several local business’ who placed
advertisements.

 

Photo: At the Zinder centre, older girls take care of the goats which provide milk for the children to enjoy with the cereals they grow.

"We raised nearly $9000 in all –  shared  between a local
educational gardening project for children together with Zinder, a children and young girls and
mother’s centre in the desert in Niger, helping them invest in their home
garden, goat husbandry and solar cooker project and of course, for Anne Garvie’s 2014 wonderful president’s appeal, See
and cook solar!

Photo: A meal in one of two dining halls of the Zinder Center!

All generations had great fun participating in the rally and claimed to
have learnt a lot.  And of course our
club enjoyed organising it all too!

Our threefold goal was attained:

–        
To engage with the local public on who we are and what
the Soroptimist goals are

–        
To raise local awareness on pollution, waste of
energy, food and water and encourage them to buy locally produced foods

–        
To raise funds for girls and women locally and
internationally for long-term sustainable projects.

Nicole Michel, Secretary, SI Nyon, Switzerland