Projects and Campaigns
Charities 2017-2019
Two Projects were chosen for the club to support over the next two years
Opening Doors
www.openingdoors.org.uk
“Disabled women are twice as likely to experience some form of abuse as their non-disabled counterparts. Because they are disabled they are more vulnerable, they might not recognise that what is happening to them is wrong and they are less likely to be able to escape from their abusers. As a result of our work with women with learning disabilities we are aware of the scale of sexual abuse faced by disabled women in Norfolk and are anxious to deliver this project.
A project for local women who have suffered domestic and sexual abuse which Opening Doors would like to undertake, given sufficient funding. Unfortunately we have been unable to obtain much funding for this project to date because, we are told, advocacy (especially in relation to learning disabilities, women and domestic and sexual abuse) is not a hot topic. As part of the project we would produce a leaflet recognising the contribution from the Soroptimists and we would post regular blogs and tweets on both Facebook and Twitter about the project. In order to bring the project alive and for your members to understand our organisation better we are happy to deliver a presentation.”
Hamara Sahaas
www.facebook.com/HamaraSaahas
The Indian Charity I have been working with is Hamara Sahaas. A small NGO in Jodphur, set up by
Tamanna Bhati, that supports marginalised women,teaching them sewing and handicraft skills, giving them
the chance to ‘Learn & Earn’ and their children the opportunity to learn English.
I went to India looking for a community group that I could work with in a Fair Trade enterprise and was
introduced to Tamanna by a mutual friend who felt the needs of her ladies were far greater than those I had
met to date; her little school, set up in May 2014 worked with the Dalit community and she had only 5
borrowed machines to teach 30 women – with 35 more on the waiting list.I came home determined to find her more!
The story of the 6 months between launching the appeal to coincide with our post Christmas clear outs
and returning to work with the ladies, being privileged enough to sit on the floor in their dusty room and share
their lives, their hopes and dreams, is attached with pictures,
Their stories and activities can be found on Facebook.
In the year I have been home, I have been working hard to create the first fashion and Interior collections
for ‘Stand’, my Fair Trade company. My hope is that as the ladies become more skilled and the fair trade
business develops, I can commission work from them to showcase on line…
Hamara Sahaas Mission Statement is “to empower the poorest women, so that they no longer have to be
dependent on others, to lead a healthy and respectable life.”It means “Our Courage” in Hindi. We are a “Society of
the women, by the women, & for the women.” We aspire to become a Foundation one day so that we
can provide the source of funding for our own charitable purposes.
What we do
Support and work in partnership with:
4women
Food Banks
Norwich Medieval Church Trust
East Anglian Hospices ( the Nook)
Pelanaba Orphan Fund , Zimbabwe
Meru Garden Project Kenya
Kori in Sierre Leone
United Nations Association in Norwich
SI Norwich Programme Action Report April 2018
We continue to support 4women group through their changes. They are now restricted to helping women released from prison and on probation. We regularly give coffee, tea, sugar and materials for the creative workshops they run. At the clients’ requests we supplied 10 personal alarms in Nov2017 and will be suppling 10 more shortly. A member has offered short wellbeing sessions for relaxation and aromatherapy.
We were involved in preparing to mark International Women’s Day working with the WI Norfolk and 20 other women’s groups dedicated to stopping violence against women.
We celebrated International Women’s Day on Sunday 11th March 2018 with our stand and new banner at Gressenhall Museum and shared their Mothers’ Day offer of free cream teas for Mothers We were based in a marquee and had the run of the site to publicise the great variety of work going on. It was good to work with other groups – may even have some possible speakers for the Club.!
We are also support the group called “Opening Doors” for adults with learning disabilities in Norfolk.
On 30th June a concert in St Giles Church Norwich and raised over £400 with music from the Sine Nomine Choir
Also as a fundraiser towards the group’s training costs in self help we opened up one of the Club’s Speaker meetings to the public. Our speaker was Caroline Jarrold, Director, speaking about the history of the only independent department store in Norwich. It was a successful evening in the Norwich High School lecture Hall for about 80 guests with coffee and cake and hope to promote our work there again.
In the larger world slow changes are coming in the treatment of women in the justice system. Lobbying continues and also awareness raising on violence against women and trafficking. The” Dementia Friendly” message is getting through, some members helping it along!
Finally individually members carry out a great deal of voluntary work in the community in the field of Dementia , education and archive recording.