In May, we had an idea to collect used handbags, fill them with hygiene and beauty products and donate them to less fortunate women whose budgets had no room for personal care items. We set a loose goal of 100 bags. We raised enough funds for 56. Over the July-August vacation, we did mentorship sessions with 17 girls, educating them at the point where school sometimes stops: finances, career paths, mental and physical health. We tried to encourage their goals, to widen their dreams, to push them toward excellence. In August, we did our usual Back to School project where we managed to fill the booklists for 67 children from less fortunate homes. I’ve heard it said that numbers like these are so minimal, that they ought not to be bothered with. That unless our leaders allocate more funds to education, and poverty eradication, our

It was finally Sunday 21st August 2022 and our excitement had reached a pinnacle as it was the day we were meeting our SIGBI Director of PR and Marketing and Soroptimist Sister, Nisha Ghosh from SI Pune Metro East. Our club members had meticulously planned a fun filled day to share with her small pieces of SIAN and by extension South Trinidad. The morning started at the Wild Fowl Trust, where we introduced Nisha to our latest project, our Pollinator Garden. This project spoke to the importance of pollinators and their crucial role in our ecosystem. It was the passion to the environment that inspired some of members to spearhead this project and it was truly a success. We thoroughly enjoyed sharing this garden with Nisha as it showcased a product of one of our club’s ideals; choosing projects which our members are passionate about

The term “Soroptimist” can be best interpreted as “the best for women”; it was coined from the Latin “soror” meaning sister and “optima” meaning best. In 1921 a group of over 80 business and professional women from California, banded together to form the first Soroptimist club. Their purpose was debating service projects and hearing speakers on worldwide issues that would inspire and broaden members’ horizons. While their initial work focused on the preservation of “ancient trees” their efforts soon turned to the growing concerns for women in their community. In the years that followed, many similar clubs sprung up unknown to each other until upon discovery, they finally joined together to form the international organization we know today – Soroptimist International. This organization consists of 3000 clubs across five federations, which boasts Category 2 Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council, United Nations! SI Anaparima

“I raise my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” - Malala Yousafzai   At the current rate of progress, it will take another 108 years to reach gender parity, according to the 2018 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report, which benchmarks 149 countries on their progress towards gender parity across four thematic dimensions—Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.   That is a long time for women to face inequalities! We should not have to live in a world designed to limit our endless potential. According to Sheryl Sandberg, we need “to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored."   I dream of a day where my