SI Bournemouth members showed their support for International Women’s Day at their recent meeting when they celebrated their actions educating girls in Bangladesh and twinning toilets throughout Asia and Africa. #SoroptimistsStandUpForWomen #EachforEqual
True Story, True HonourIn recognition of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, SI Bournemouth #orangedtheworld and partnered Bournemouth University and Dorset Police to host an ‘Honour Based Violence’ presentation by Sarbjit Kaur Athwal and Dr Clive Driscoll from the charity, True Honour. The True Honour charity campaigns to raise awareness of honour based violence, forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation. Sarbjit’s sister-In-law was the victim of an honour based killing and she gave a very personal testimony at the event which was heartbreaking. She strived for years to convince police and social services that her sister -in-law had been taken to India and murdered. Eventually Dr Clive Driscoll who at the time was a DCI with the Metropolitan Police took up her case and obtained the first conviction for an honour based murder. Sarbjit tells the story in her book –
SI Bournemouth members welcomed Liz Carter, Project Manager at the Water Lily Project to their September meeting. The Project provides support and empower vulnerable women in Christchurch and surrounding areas and help them back to independent living, a service which soroptimists are enthusiastic about locally, nationally and internationally. It predominantly supports vulnerable women in crisis. This may be a temporary crisis such as an acrimonious divorce, bereavement, illness etc or it could be something more long term such as mental health issues, self-harming, domestic violence and abuse, addiction or financial difficulties. The aims for all of the beneficiaries is to: provide a friendly and loving environment where women feel safe and protected give women the freedom to be themselves give women space to heal and grow give FREE support in a non-judgmental surrounding On a secondary level the project supports the local community at a cafe which they
