Jodie Gibson, a member of the the Soroptimist Club in Chester, was the guest speaker at SI South Lancashire Region’s spring Programme Action meeting.
A keen traveller, Jodie took the opportunity of taking part in a study tour to Kenya organised by Soroptimist International Great Britain & Ireland (SIGBI).
The visit was to the district of Meru, theoretically a 6-hour drive from Nairobi – in reality it took 10 hours. The focus was SIGBI’s 3-year garden project involving local women.
Jodie explained the context of the project, which was set up by the community, for the community. SIGBI’s UK partner is Child.org; the Kenyan organisation ‘on the ground’ is the Community Initiative for Rural Development (CIFORD).
Jodie looked closely at evidence of success (or otherwise), and at the sustainability of the project once SIGBI’s funding ceases later this year.
As a relatively new Soroptimist Jodie also reflected on the experience of travelling with a diverse group of fellow Soroptimists, many of who have decades of service behind them.