{"id":6,"date":"2009-11-22T15:34:43","date_gmt":"2009-11-22T14:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/soroptimist-gbi.co.uk\/oxford-and-district\/?page_id=6"},"modified":"2024-12-26T12:04:20","modified_gmt":"2024-12-26T12:04:20","slug":"our-programme-actions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sigbi.org\/oxford-and-district\/our-programme-actions\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Work – Programme Actions"},"content":{"rendered":"

Programme Actions are at the heart of what we do as Soroptimists. Through our Programme Action<\/a> goals we support charities, fund raise, raise awareness and lobby\u00a0to support our goals of educating, empowering and enabling women and young girls across the world.<\/p>\n

At the Oxford Club we have worked with a number of local charities within Oxford including Crisis Skylight<\/a> and the Abingdon Carousel<\/a>, as well as supporting international projects such as\u00a0ActionAid<\/a> and other Soroptimists clubs in our region.<\/p>\n

Below are a few of our recent activities to support some of the causes that are close to our Mission as a club.<\/p>\n

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SI Oxford & SI Madurai joint project<\/h1>\n

We have supported an ophthalmology project with our friendship link club SI Madurai, India. This shop will allow a mother to support herself and her blind son (childhood glaucoma is relatively common in this part of India and women are often left to care for their children alone).<\/p>\n

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\"Women<\/a>
Opening the shop with a ribbon cutting<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Newly<\/a><\/h1>\n
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Fund Raising Coffee Event<\/h1>\n

June 2018<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Members and friends enjoyed a sunny summer morning with coffee and cake whilst at the same time raising funds for our International President\u2019s Appeal, Women, Water and Leadership. This appeal focusses on \u2018the important role women play in the water sector. In many countries it is women living in rural areas who are responsible for fetching and collecting water and although they are experts in water they rarely participate in decision making. Women, Water and Leadership will provide women with the training to increase their individual capacities and prepare them to be key partners\u2019. (source : www.soroptimistinternational.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n

The first project has begun and it is providing women of the Mwihoko Women Group in Kenya to be empowered in the food security of their families. The women and their families have also been \u00a0trained in how to construct multi-storey gardens at the resource centre. For additional information on this first project visit the website above. The Mwihoko Project is the first one of the projects which will be implemented in 5 continents.<\/p>\n

Funds raised will also support our ongoing sponsorship with PLAN International UK of a young girl in Pakistan and our Federation Project, The Meru Women\u2019s Garden Project which is now in its final year.<\/p>\n

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Not This Girl. Not Any Girl. Not Anywhere – Supporting Actionaid\u2019s Appeal<\/h1>\n
March 2018<\/div>\n
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Photo credit: Kira Gupta\/ActionAid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Club member, Ann, attended an event at The Shard in London in support of Actionaid\u2019s latest appeal. The money raised through this appeal will be match funded by the UK Government until the 7th June. Not This Girl Appeal will support women\u2019s groups who are preventing girls from being abused and making sure survivors are heard, treated and have the backing of the law. Help women and girls stand together. ActionAid.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Programme Action Celebration Evening<\/h1>\n
February 2018<\/div>\n
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Just a few of the many projects we have supported this year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Oxford SIOD member Berna<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This month\u2019s club event was a celebration of all our work over the past year including fundraising for local, national and international projects, advocacy, and support in a variety of different ways for other projects. This included both local, such as Project Shoebox Oxford, and other regional Soroptimist based projects. We have a achieved a great deal and members celebrated over a glass of wine whilst participating in club member Becky\u2019s quiz, listening to club members Radka and Berna and also our guest speaker, Maria, from The Dorcas Dress Project. Radka told us about \u2018Lend with Care\u2019 which she has supported for a number of years.<\/p>\n

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Berna spoke about a project that she and her club in Izmir were involved with in Macedonia. The project focused on young women, leadership and education. Berna has written a number of books around leadership so her personal involvement was extremely pertinent.<\/p>\n

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Blankets for refugees<\/h1>\n
December 2017<\/div>\n
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At December’s Regional Human Rights\u00a0 meeting in Bedford club members Ros and Moira presented SI Milton Keynes with another blanket made by our members. Blankets are given to MK Red Cross to help refugees who are being located there.<\/div>\n
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Day Of Action<\/h1>\n
July 2017<\/div>\n
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Club members, family and friends enjoyed a fundraising coffee event at the home of a club member. The weather was kind so we managed to enjoy ourselves in the garden. A wonderful \u00a3367 was raised which will go to SIGBI’s Meru Women’s Garden Project, and also to support Haseena and her family in Pakistan through our club’s sponsorship with PLAN International.<\/div>\n

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Collection of Items for the Kori Project in Sierra Leone<\/h1>\n
May 2017<\/div>\n
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Oxford club members brought a variety of much needed items in support of SI Thames Valley’s project in the Kori district of Sierra Leone. Key items needed at the moment include towels, blankets for babies, biro pens, underwear and shorts and trousers for small boys. We have in the past donated toothbrushes, soaps, toothpaste to promote good hygiene and quality books for their newly built library.<\/div>\n
Here\u00a0is a link to the Kori Development Project<\/a> if you would like to find out more.<\/div>\n
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Club donations to the Kori project<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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Water Aid – World Water Day<\/h1>\n
15th March 2017<\/div>\n
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Every day lives are lost and people suffer because\u00a0 of a lack of safe water and sanitation. A staggering 663 million people world wide live without a safe water supply close to home therefore spending hours each day seeking clean water. This year the theme for the Day is ‘Waste Water’ and Water Aid’s campaign ‘Why Waste Water?’ asks us to think about reducing and reusing waste water.<\/div>\n
To mark this year’s World Water Day club members rose to the Water Bottle Challenge by contributing small change to fill several water bottles.<\/div>\n
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Fore more information see:<\/div>\n
www.wateraid.org\/uk<\/a><\/div>\n
https:\/\/sigbi.org\/members\/2017\/world-water-day\/<\/a><\/div>\n
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Supporting Project Shoebox Oxford<\/h1>\n

November 2016<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Picture<\/a>
Oxford SI donations to Project Shoebox<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Club members donated generously a variety of toiletries and gifts in support of Project Shoebox <\/a>Christmas Appeal. This local Project is a community giving one which collects unused and unwanted toiletries and non perishable foods for women and their families who are in Oxfordshire domestic abuse refuges, homeless shelters or who are refugees.<\/p>\n

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Sudap Village Project, \u00a0Nepal – Update<\/h1>\n

On 1st June 2016 ActionAid posted a blog entry featuring our project in Nepal, here is an extract:<\/p>\n

“Today marks\u00a0the Global Day of Parents<\/a> \u2013 a day to celebrate families across the world. It also gives us an opportunity to reflect on the\u00a0incredible mums we work with<\/a>. Many parents know all too well how difficult it is to juggle a career with\u00a0childcare. We’re working with Nepalese mums to address this issue.”<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click on the link below to read the full article.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.actionaid.org.uk\/blog\/voices\/2016\/06\/01\/helping-mums-in-nepal-balance-careers-and-childcare<\/a><\/p>\n

Posted 11-Jun-16<\/p>\n

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Parkinson’s Fund Raising – Update<\/h1>\n

April 2016<\/p>\n

\"Ros<\/a>
Ros & Moira presenting Parkinson’s UK with a cheque from our club<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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On Wednesday 6th April, Moira and Ros – our Club Presidents – went along to Parkinson’s UK<\/a> Oxford Branch to present a cheque for \u00a3900 from our Club. (This has been our Presidents’ Charity for the 2015\/2016 year). They were delighted to receive it and it will go into their Carer’s Respite Fund.<\/p>\n

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Educate to Lead\u00a0– Nepal<\/h1>\n

\"Presidents<\/a><\/p>\n

For the next two years (2015 – 2017) we are supporting our International President’s Appeal, ‘Educate to Lead: Nepal’ through advocacy, and by holding a number of fundraising events.
\nThe Appeal addresses human rights issues that follow a disaster. The aim is to help people rebuild their lives whilst providing educational opportunities which may not have existed prior to the earthquake.
\nIt is essential that the project increases educational resources for women and girls and that in turn the number of women and girls accessing educational opportunities increases. Additionally, the project is also focussing on increasing opportunities for leadership development.
\n(Source: http:\/\/www.soroptimistinternational.org\/appeal\/an-introduction<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Posted 20-Feb-16<\/p>\n

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Sudap Village Project – Nepal<\/h1>\n
\"Women<\/a>
(c) ActionAid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Our project in Eastern Nepal in partnership with ActionAid<\/a> is helping to build a community child care centre so women are able to leave their children in safe care whilst they work. The photos shows some of the children and women we are supporting.<\/p>\n

Posted 23-Jan-16<\/p>\n

Update March 2016:<\/h2>\n

ActionAid have provided us with their report on how the funding provided by Oxford & District Soroptimists is helping the Sudap Community. You can download the full report (as a PDF) here:\u00a0ActionAid Final Report – SIOD Mar2015<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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‘Orange The World’<\/span><\/h1>\n

\"Photo<\/a>From 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, through to 10th December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender – Based Violence aims to raise public awareness and mobilise people worldwide to bring about change. The UN Secretary General’s UNiTE to End Violence Against Women Campaign<\/a> invites us all to ‘Orange the World’ – orange to symbolise a brighter future without violence.
\nAt November’s meeting members wore a little something orange.<\/p>\n

Posted 30-Nov-15<\/p>\n

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Supporting a Community Childcare Centre In Nepal<\/h1>\n

April 2015 \u2013 April 2016<\/p>\n

This year we are supporting a project run by ActionAid in Sudap Village in Eastern Nepal.\u00a0The community is struggling to fund the rent for the building they are presently in and\u00a0therefore the project\u2019s sustainability is threatened. The community has now found land to\u00a0construct a new child care centre of its own but cannot afford the construction.<\/p>\n

The aim of the project is to fund the construction of the building. ActionAid has been\u00a0supporting women by giving them the opportunity to earn their own living outside the home\u00a0by making sure their children are taken care of. The childcare centre will ensure this and\u00a0also provide employment for the women who look after the children.\u00a0As Soroptimists we will be making a big difference to these women\u2019s lives.<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>
Club members and friends enjoyed an excellent meal at the Nepalese Yeti restaurant in Oxford to raise money for the project.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Stand With #fearless Women To End Violence Against Women
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October 2015<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a>Club members Helena and Ann recently attended in London the launch of ActionAid’s campaign to end violence against women.<\/p>\n

One in\u00a0 three women will face violence sometime in their lifetimes. It is time to bring an end to this. Get involved in ActionAid’s 16 Days of Activism on Violence Against Women<\/a> in November.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.actionaid.org.uk\/fearless<\/a><\/p>\n

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In Support Of The Kori Project\u00a0And To Mark International Literacy Day\u00a0(8th September)<\/strong><\/h1>\n

16th September, 2015<\/p>\n

\"Photo<\/a><\/p>\n

At September’s meeting, club members donated a variety of books to support SI Thames Valley one of our London Chilterns Region clubs. As part of their Kori Project a library is in the process of being constructed and books of all genres are needed. The library is the first to be built in Sierra Leone since the ending of the civil war.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/kwdp.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Marking UN World Water Day<\/h1>\n

18th March 2015<\/p>\n

It is our mission for this year to mark important UN days in our calendars and importantly, to mark them at our monthly meetings together as a group.<\/p>\n

With March marking the UN’s World Water Day (22nd March), we hosted a small (non-competitive, promise!) quiz on water scarcity, water use and sanitation across the world. I think we all left a little wiser (and shocked) at some of the statistics for water sanitation and then impact of water availability, or lack thereof, upon women and young girls in their families as water carriers. Be sure to look on the UN’s website to see some of the stats!<\/p>\n

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Regional Meeting and Celebration of United Nations Human Rights Day<\/h1>\n

6th December 2014<\/p>\n

Article 1 Universal Declaration of Human Rights<\/p>\n

\u2018All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood<\/em>\u2019.<\/p>\n

Over seventy members gathered at the Bedford Golf Club for the winter regional meeting and the annual celebration of United Nations Human Rights Day.<\/p>\n

As well as being updated by Federation Programme Director, Sue Biggs, on Programme Action matters, key note speaker, Colette Paul, Chief Constable of Bedfordshire, spoke movingly of her work in the field of modern day slavery and trafficking.<\/p>\n

Each section of the day was linked with the reading of different articles of the Declaration of Human Rights which facilitated reflection and thought by everyone. This was an excellent regional event enjoyed by all.<\/p>\n

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Bras …Bras…And More Bras<\/h1>\n

\"bravo-2\"<\/a>
\nOver the past 6 years club member, Chris, has been fantastic in rallying us all into collecting bras. She has also placed Bra Banks in a number of places and carried out many collections. Through her hard work, 1200 kg of bras have been collected raising an amazing \u00a31200 for our projects. This is an ongoing project.<\/p>\n

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London Chiltern’s Regional Meeting<\/h1>\n

14th June, 2014<\/p>\n

London Chilterns Regional Meeting at the Medieval Abbey Building in Abingdon was attended by 70 Soroptimists from groups across the region.<\/p>\n

\"DSC_1188\"<\/a><\/span>Regional President, Penny Dmoch, Introduced the speaker Fiona McTaggart MP for Slough and also Co-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking\/Modern Day Slavery.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict<\/h1>\n

10th-13th June, 2014 London<\/p>\n

The Foreign Secretary and Angelina Jolie, Special Envoy for the UN High Commission for Refugees, co-chaired The Global Summit.<\/p>\n

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\"Global<\/a>Standing by the SIGBI stand is club member, Ann Hawken, who attended a day of The Summit Fringe. ‘The Fringe was an excellent event and great to experience. One of the events I attended was the Ministerial launch of the UK’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. Speakers included the UK Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary and International Development Secretary along with key women’s advocates from Syria, Uganda, The Philippines sharing their experiences’.<\/i><\/div>\n
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Women make up 70% of the world’s poor<\/h1>\n
21st May, 2014<\/div>\n
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ActionAid came to speak with us at our May meeting, sharing their fantastic work to support women and children in the most poverty stricken corners of the Earth.<\/div>\n
Did you know?:<\/strong><\/div>\n
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