Welcome to our Region
As Soroptimists we are members of the largest women’s service organisation in the world. Our Region is part of the Soroptimist International of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) Federation. There are 11 Soroptimist Clubs and 2 school clubs within the South East England Region. See the map of the Region.
As Soroptimists we work to improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally by helping them to achieve their potential and aspirations through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities.
President Alison Driscoll’s Message
Theme ‘Inside Out and Outside In’
I am delighted to have been invited to be the incoming President for SI South East England Region.
My Regional Project for 2023-2024 was to sponsor a young female physiotherapist (Ruba). She is from the Jalazone Refugee Camp, near Ramallah, planning to take a master’s degree in special education at Nablus university. This is to enable her to train therapists in other refugee camps in the West Bank to work with disabled children.
It has been a strange (inconceivable) month for all those living in Israel/Palestine. I have therefore had to put on hold my plans. The rehabilitation centre in the refugee camp where Ruba is based was severely damaged during a recent incursion. Nobody knows when it might be up and running again. Normal everyday life in the West Bank is now “adjourned until further notice”.
Firas, our ABCD Palestinian trustee should have been out there right now interviewing Ruba for a video link so I could introduce her to you at the regional meeting, but clearly this field trip has not been able to take place.
Further raids on the Nur Shams refugee camp are affecting the whole community there. It would appear that my regional project may become more focused on general rehabilitation than the bespoke bursary I had originally planned. I am working with ABCD’s Palestinian trustee to identify a worthy project that would best match our Soroptimist aims and objectives.
I am sure you will understand why I am postponing any final decision. However, I hope and pray that sooner rather than later I shall be able to confirm my plans for the Regional Project.
Alison Driscoll
