This weeks SoroptiVoice Blog comes from Dawn-Marie Lemonds, past International Programme Director and Club President of SI Newport Harbor Area.

‘I
have the great fortune and honor of being my Club President this year. I wanted
to start the year with an opportunity to find out what members really want for
our target audience – women and girls. At our Annual Club Planning Retreat each
member had the chance to say what they wished for women and girls. The solution to most of these
wishes dovetailed perfectly with our international theme – Educate to Lead

Let me take a few moments to share some of what our members said:

I wish that Women and Girls……

“…always
feel supported by other women and girls”

"…recognize that a sisterhood can
help women feel safe and secure and comfortable”

“…feel
natural strength as women”

"…are able to make a difference and will be able to overcome barriers
that they face because they have a safety net and have confidence in
their worth”

“…are always respected as human beings”

“…feel safe to be able to educate themselves and then
share that education with others”

“…will use their intuitive wisdom and become much more
involved in the world to bring more peace
and justice”

“…will be supported and respected by men and
boys in their lives”

“…can
have a "neighborhood" where their voice is heard and they are
empowered”

The
feeling of security and respect as a human are the pillars of humanity. To be
able to contribute to bettering society promotes a sense of worth and
belonging. It is startling to hear the
statistics from girls that they don’t have adults to trust or people they can
bring their problems to. How can Soroptimists fill in this crucial gap?

For true acceptance there must be education for the men and boys in our lives. What type of
neighborhood education programs exist that we can support? What opportunities
need to exist in our neighborhoods for men, women, boys and girls to come
together to have candid conversations?

MY
wish for Soroptimists worldwide is that
we renew our vows to our wonderful organization through further development and offer more programs that
support our word.

No
act is too small, it may be through helping with a mailing,  working at an information booth on human
trafficking, walking in a race, mentoring teens or young moms,
or supporting women to have healthy births in Papua New Guinea.

Each one of our acts can transform lives, so let’s get working!