It was wonderful to hear from Ann Beatty, Chief Executive Officer of the Steve Sinnott Foundation, on Zoom on Tue 28 May. Soroptimist International St Albans and District are proud to have Ann as a Member of the Club.
As the Steve Sinnott Foundation celebrates its 15th year, Ann Beatty gave a presentation and we also heard from one of the Foundation’s Partners in Gambia, Marie Antoinette, who attended on Zoom. They told us about the Foundation’s unique way of working in partnership to support access to education for all. They explained that the education charity develops programmes together with people, and not for them. As a Partner, Marie Antoinette is working on the ground to change the lives of women and girls.
We had 22 people on the call, including Foundation Ambassadors Helen Porter from the Winchester Soroptimist Club and our own Ameeta Sabharwal. Our other Soroptimist guests included Gillie O’Rourke, SIGBI President-Elect and Pat Kilbane from SI Garforth Elmet in Yorkshire – the first Soroptimist Club to support the Steve Sinnott Foundation”Positive Periods” Project, and who introduced Ann to Soroptimists.
Click on the link below to view the video recording of the event – it is 17 mins of Ann’s presentation plus 23 mins of interactive Q&A.
If you click here you can download Ann’s presentation Steve Sinnott Foundation SISTA Presentation May 2024
Ann started by giving some background and shared some of the successes as the foundation celebrates it’s 15 year anniversary. The foundation was set up in the memory of Steve Sinnott, General Secretary of the NUT who died in office in 2008.
Ann explained that the foundation promotes access to education worldwide. The work involves connecting learners worldwide. The “Positive Period” programme is one of the foundations big successes allowing young women and girls access to education and support managing their periods with dignity.
Marie Antoinette, from Gambia, shared that female students often miss out on education when they are on their period. Families do not have access to sanitary wear so the project showed how to make reusable fabric sanitary pads that can be washed between uses. This allows girls to remain in school. Many of the families don’t have the funds to buy sanitary wear.
From this project other projects were set up, such as the bicycle scheme. Often the girls are walking long distances to school, for some 10km each way. They are getting home late. Walking to school also put the girls at risk of attacks from wild animals, harassment and assaults.
Televisions were acquired for schools to assist in teaching so that they are able to access more teaching resources.
Marie Antoinette shared how much of a difference these projects are making to the lives of women and girls in Gambia.
The SS Foundation has a blog on the website which is kept updated https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/blog There are resources on the website that are accessible to educators and others. There is a YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@sinnottfoundation. Lots of videos have been uploaded, all less than an hour. The Lifelong Videos created during the COVID pandemic are great for everyone. Popular subjects are about creativity.
Charity gifts are available on the website. These can be purchased and cover a range of projects run by the foundation https://www.stevesinnottfoundation.org.uk/gifts/
Ann finished her presentation and invited people to ask questions.
Q Does the foundation work with women affected by war?
A Not directly but many women have been affected by difficult political situations, coups and rebuilding post-war. Many are living with PTSD.
Gillie shared information on the SI Foundation, which she is currently the Chair of, and this could provide some funding. Ann to contact Gillie to learn more about making an application.
Q what is your biggest challenge?
A The SS Foundation developed a model of working that supports women in 15 countries. Initially they supported women in 2 countries. They redesigned the way of working that allows them to reach more women with the same resources.
Marie Antoinette said that through the Positive Periods Programme, they found that female teachers were experiencing similar issues as the girls relating to getting access to period products.
Ann shared the countries that the SS Foundation supports, including Haiti, Gambia, Senegal, Uganda, Senegal and others.
Q What makes you proudest, Ann?
A Really proud seeing the women who the foundation has worked with excel and go on to make a difference in their own communities.
Q Asked about the Peace Project in Kyoto. Ann is an ambassador for UNESCO
A Implemented an arts and culture project. Led a delegation of educators on a trip to Japan where they worked on a project for peace.
Q How do you ensure the full funding gets to the right places?
A Have a monitoring project that follows the funding, collecting receipts and tracking how the funding is being used. Reporting system in place, photos and videos are sent and people visit to see how a project is progressing. Being a small organisation they are flexible and can make decisions quickly to achieve success when circumstances change.
One suggestion is to make use of the Soroptimist connections in the Soroptimist International Africa Federation (SIAF). Jane to help to connect Ann to people within SIAF.
There was some really positive feedback in the Zoom Chat: Great work – great projects! Brilliant to hear Marie Antoinette, thank you. It was inspirational. Thank you, Ann Great presentation, Ann, thank you so much. Absolutely fascinating. Look forward hearing you to Edinburgh.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation – Changing Lives Through Education
Ann is a speaker at the Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland Conference on Fri 1 Nov https://sigbi.org/edinburgh2024/programme/ so for anyone unable to attend the Conference this was a special opportunity to hear from her.
There was no charge to attend, and if people want to make a donation they can arrange a bank transfer. Please understand there is no pressure to do this.
The Steve Sinnott Foundation works with teachers and educators to deliver projects that progress the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 – ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. We are proud to work toward making this goal a reality.
The Club supports the charity by making a donation every year so it was wonderful to have an update on projects. Click here to read about when Ann last spoke to the Club https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2022/queen/
Ann has challenged us all to tell at least one person about the work of the Steve Sinnott Foundation – what are you waiting for?!