There were many fantastic projects and initiatives by Soroptimist Clubs worldwide reported in August. Club projects aimed to educate and empower women and girls in order to improve their lives. Particular focus was geared towards educational scholarships, empowerment programmes and health education for underprivileged women.Here a just a few examples of projects: 

In line with the strong
Soroptimist focus on maternal and child mortality with the Birthing in the
Pacific project, SI Gold Coast
(Australia) made comfort items for premature babies at a new neonatal
unit.  The Gold Coast Hospital Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit appealed to local community groups to provide customised
humidity-crib covers and comfort care body items for use in its special care
nursery for premature babies. Soroptimists from the Gold Coast club stitched
cot covers and baby comfort items (shaped head-rests, body supports, and
beanies). A total of 14 cot covers, 35 beanies, 11 peanut cushions and 21 body
cushions.

SI Lichfield & District (UK) participated in the UK Festival Market by
having a stall that not only promoted the work of Soroptimists but also sold
goods to raise funds for different causes. The stall also featured a number of
children’s games, such as a tombola which furthermore raised funds. All monies
made were split between donations to young carers, brownies and the Ugandan
Childbirth Injuries Fund (UCIF). Funds for UCIF will pay for free treatment,
quality sutures/instruments, operations and flights for nurses and doctors to
attend to women suffering from the effects of childbirth.

To raise money for
the SIGBI ‘Big Project’ – Birthing in the Gambia – SI Bridgend (UK) along with other clubs in the South Wales region,
participated in an 18 mile walk. Each participating club was given a section of
the new Wales coastal path to cover. The money raised was split 2 ways, half to
the ‘Big Project and half to the Club President’s charities.

SI South Perth (Australia) registered a delegation of club members to
participate in the Relay for Life event, which sees participants walking or
running in a relay team for 24 hours. The team and additional supporters camped
at the Relay venue for the 24 hour event and walked or ran to raise funds for
the Cancer Council Western Australia.

SI South Calcutta (India) ran a cervical cancer screening session for
underprivileged women in the local vicinity. The session was conducted at the
South Calcutta Rotary Diagnostic Centre and a total of 50 women attended. Women
were provided with educational sessions on cervical cancer as well as a
screening. 38 women were examined and a V.I.A. test for cervical cancer was
carried out on 34 women. The result proved to be quite alarming as 25 women
tested positive and were advised to undertake a pap smear. However, the
information given proved to be invaluable as women can improve their health
through such regular examinations.

SI Jakarta (Indonesia) raised and received funds to build a community
learning centre. After an earthquake struck off the coast of western Sumatra on
September 30th, 2009, it caused massive destruction to the city of Padang and many
local facilities were destroyed or damaged. SI Jakarta helped to build a
community learning centre that facilitates education for the community and
women’s groups through a library and computer room.

SI
Kyoto (Japan) ensured the safety and well-being of orphaned
girls through an educational scholarship. Due to natural disasters, there are
many girls who lose their parents and may therefore face uncertainties such as
hunger or trafficking. In order to avoid these problems, Prateep Skusa School
was established to educate girls and provide them with vocational training. Scholarships
are sent to girls every year to support them.

SI Jakarta (Indonesia) were also promoting girls’ education this
month by conducting a series of empowerment sessions aimed specifically at
girls. Some of the attendees present at these sessions were the recipients of
educational scholarships provided by SI Okazaki (Japan). Often girls within the
local area are denied access to high school education due to a lack of funds to
support further education or other cultural factors which may impinge on them.
Through the use of both scholarships and empowerment sessions, girls are given
the confidence and drive to succeed.

Every year, SI Newtown Trinidad (Trinidad &Tobago)
participates in a drive to donate needed materials to various children’s home
in the Port of Spain, Trinidad. After a visit in 2012, an abandoned plot of
land at St Jude’s home for Girls an abandoned plot of land was noticed, which the
club later found out was once used as a kitchen garden but had become defunct. In
order to reinstate the kitchen garden, the club provided a sustainable source
of vegetables for the young ladies resident at St Jude’s. Club members joined
forces with girls at the home to remove weeds and clear the plot so that the
kitchen garden could be used again. Along with a variety of vegetables and
herbs to plant, the club donated soil, manure and gardening tools (watering
cans, hose, garden fork, trowel, shovel, rake, gloves) in order to maintain the
plot. SI Newtown Trinidad plans to support the venture with regular donations
of materials needed and monthly visits.

SI Lagos (Nigeria) donated a number of books to the
Methodist Girls High School to build upon their library. It is intended to
improve the reading culture among students and therefore promote literacy.

SI Bangalore (India) have been involved with a project to
create audio books for the visually impaired. Teaming up with Mitra Jyothi, an
institute for the visually impaired, club members have recorded books for the
institute’s library. Students come to this institute to gain computer literacy.
SI Bangalore also sponsored a visually impaired girl from a low economic
background. The recipient of the sponsorship is studying at Maharani College
for girls, Bangalore, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music.

SI Magalang (Philippines) provided women from the remote villages
surrounding Magalang and Haven-Pampanga with a Health and Wellness Livelihood
Training Program. Women in these areas have few prospects of obtaining
employment or earning an income on their own because of a lack of education and
skills. Through the completion of this program, women will be equipped with health
related knowledge and skills that are valuable for securing well-paid
employment. Eighteen of the 126 women identified as beneficiaries for this
training are now making money by doing home service therapeutic massage, while
the rest are working as spa therapists at known spa centres in Magalang.

SI Ba (Fiji) acquired and donated five wheelchairs to five disabled women
in Ba who are in urgent need of them. Recipients now have greater accessibility
around their homes. Those that care for them are also able to manoeuvre them
around outside spaces, meaning that the disabled women have greater freedom.

SI Lautoka (Fiji) reported on their Mother’s Day celebrations
this month. To celebrate the day, club members visited and gave morning tea to
the 40 residents of The Golden Age Home for the elderly. The project aimed to
ensure that those in the home were given a special treat and received a visit
on Mother’s day who would otherwise not receive any other visitors.

ACTION, ADVOCACY AND AWARENESS RAISING

There are around 3000 Soroptimist clubs around the world, all working to educate, empower or enable opportunities for women in their local communities and beyond through action, advocacy and awareness-raising.  Working across the world in over 120 countries, clubs undertake a huge range of projects depending on local need. However, all serve the following objectives:

•  to increase access to formal and non-formal learning opportunities.

•  to improve access to economic empowerment and sustainable opportunities for the employment of women.

• to eliminate violence against women and girls and ensure women’s participation in conflict resolution.

• to ensure women and girls have food security and access to the highest attainable standard of health care.

• to address the specific needs of women and girls by improving environmental sustainability, and mitigating effects of climate change and disasters.  

These actions were all reported by clubs on the Project Focus Report database, which enables SI to track club activities across the globe and monitor the collective impact of Soroptimists worldwide.