International Slavery Museum and Project Sierra

Soroptimists in South Lancashire Region joined up with their colleagues in Cheshire, North Wales & Wirral Region to take part in a very special partnership venture, linking Soroptimist International’s “Project SIerra : a Family and a Future” with the International Slavery Museum, Liverpool.

To coincide with the museum’s photographic exhibition “42 : Women of Sierra Leone” (by photojournalist Lee Karen Stow) the Soroptimists held a series of monthly drop-in information sessions. Short talks on Project SIerra and on Soroptimist International itself were interspersed with local clubs’ presentations to showcase their work and recent achievements.

A special day to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of independence in Sierra Leone was also part of the programme. Speakers include Professor Tunde Zack-Williams (Sierra Leone Association Merseyside) and Dr Fred Nye (The Waterloo Partnership).

Programme highlights

5^thApril : “Post-tsunami support in Sri Lanka” – SI Ellesmere Port & District

27^th April : Sierra Leone National Day

3^rdMay : “Save our skeletons : osteoporosis prevention” – SI Wigan. “Helping AIDS Orphans in South Africa” – SI Birkenhead

7^thJune : “Working with UNICEF in the aftermath of floods in Pakistan” (Assistant Programme Directors Helen Owen and Sue Challoner). “Izulu in Kwazulu-Natal : children orphaned through HIV/AIDS” – SI Bootle