Harrogate & District Soroptimists have raised over £700 towards the Meru Women’s Garden Project in Kenya, from a raffle of three magnificent hand made patchwork quilts. The Club is now well on target to raise the £3000 by the end 2018 to enable, empower and educate women and girls in Meru, Kenya.
The Meru Women’s Garden project is a 3 year Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) project, launched on International Women’s Day on the 8 March 2016 in partnership with Child.org. The project aims to develop the well being and status of women living in Meru by helping them to develop the land (garden) around their houses, so that they can both feed themselves better and have additional vegetables, fruit and herbs to sell to provide an income. . This is combined with an education programme for girls to reduce the rate of female genital mutilation (FGM) a practice, though banned, that remains rife in the Meru area.
The money raised enables the purchase of toolkits (of tools, seeds and plants). This is supported by helping women, through learning and mentoring, to gain new skills and agricultural techniques, which will provide them with more opportunities for employment and to become self sufficient. The education programme for girls,’Education not Circumcision’ is already yeilding positive results in reducing the practice of FGM. Over £100,000 has already been raised by Clubs throughout SIGBI.
Harrogate & District Soroptimist Helen McDevitt donated the 1st prize quilt, which is hand quilted with trapunto and hand embroidered detailing based on the gate of the Meiji Shrine in Tokyo.
Another Harrogate Soroptimist, Tricia Chapman, together with her friends and the Yorkshire Yanks Quilt Group, made and donated the 2nd and 3rd prize beautiful quilts.The draw for the winners took place on the 13 December 2017 at the Club’s Christmas party held at Ascot House.
Prize winners. 1st Prize to Maria Hyde. 2nd Prize to Joanne Wall, 3rd Prize to Jenny Travena. The winners were absolutely delighted with their prizes!
President Nicola Harding said ‘Thank you to Asda and the Victoria Centre in Harrogate, for allowing us to sell raffle tickets. Also to all those Soroptimist colleagues and their friends and families who supported the raffle initiative. The amount raised will really make a difference’.
For more information about the Club and how to become a member click on contact us or email sihandd@hotmail.co.uk
PHOTO – LEFT TO RIGHT Maria Hyde, winner of the First Prize with Harrogate & District Soroptimist, Penny Broadley.