Paul Clark, Ambassador for UNICEF UK
Paul Clark, one of best known TV presenters in Northern Ireland, is also its Ambassador for UNICEF UK.
Having regaled delegates with hilarious stories, he moved on to describe his work as a journalist during and since the ‘troubles’ – as the conflict in Northern Ireland is still described – and his work for UNICEF, raising awareness around their emergency work.
Paul described his visit to Banda Aceh in Sumatra, Indonesia in 2005, three months after the Asian Tsunami, linking the activity by Soroptimists both locally, in practical ways and internationally through financial support.
Paul also talked about young Malala, in Pakistan, where Soroptimism is so strong, and her mature understanding of the need for girls to demand education that nearly led to her death. Malalah’s survival and the effect it has had is a clear illustration that one person can change the world.“Change one thing, for one person and you change their life and the lives of those around them.”
Rhona MacDonald, Maternal and Child Health Advocacy International (MCAI)
Dr. Rhona MacDonald is a medical doctor specialising in paediatrics, public health and primary care. She is the honorary
(volunteer) executive director and Trustee of MCAI. With her husband, Dr David Southall, honorary medical doctor for MCAI, she showed a film of the Minister for Health for The Gambia, who wished to thank Soroptimists for their contribution to MCAI.
SIGBI works in partnership with MCAI on the 3E Project: Healthcare in The Gambia, and full details of this project, plus the videos shown at conference can be found on the SIGBI Website.
Pippa Gardener and Haley Bell, WAGGGs
SI East Grinstead, in West Sussex, England, launched a project with local Girl Guides: ‘Every little girl deserves a dress’ training them how to make a dress from a pillowcase, skills that they then transferred to Brownies and Rainbows (younger members of the Girl Guides). This very sweet, but extremely useful project involved 17 groups with at least 30 girls in each group.
Following this presentation, still on the theme of Soroptimists working with Girl Guides, two young guides addressed the conference. Haley Bell reported on several projects where Guides have worked with SIGBI in Morpeth to plant bulbs and entered a singing competition in Wales. Pippa Gardener then described her experiences at school and the bullying that led to her leaving at the age of 13. Now she has a Masters Degree and has presented, with Haley, at the United Nations CSW 2012.
Cherry Cadwallader, Secretary Diamond Education Grant
The Diamond Education Grant is a charity run by SIGBI which helps women achieve their ambitions by offering grants to help them to further their education after a career break or improve their career prospects.
The Grant relies solely on donations from members, and each year many more applications are received than awards that can be offered.
Further details, and the application form, can be found on the SIGBI Website
Programme Awards 2012
Full details of the Programme Award winners and their projects are on the SIGBI Website.