SI Anaparima was charted on November 24th 2018 at the San Fernando City Hall Auditorium, Trinidad by SIGBI President Sue Williams.
Contact us at:
Email: sianaparima@outlook.com
Find us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/sianaparimaTT
SI Anaparima was charted on November 24th 2018 at the San Fernando City Hall Auditorium, Trinidad by SIGBI President Sue Williams.
Contact us at:
Email: sianaparima@outlook.com
Find us on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/sianaparimaTT
SI Anaparima participated in the SI Friendship Day hosted by SI San Fernando at La Vega, Gran Couva on the 19th of March, 2023. They looked lovely in their attire representing the sixties which was the theme for the event.
Let’s Talk Endometriosis.
Tune in to our 3rd IG Live on Monday 20, March 2023 as we chat with our SIAN sister and Endo Warrior Leann Nanan-Habib and Trinidad and Tobago Endometriosis Association’s (TTEA) representative – Ms.Fadwa Aliyah Abdul-Ghafur R.D
Fadwa Aliyah Abdul-Ghafur R.D is a University of the West Indies graduate and holder of a bachelor’s degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics as well as a Post Grad in Institutional and Community Nutrition and Dietetics. Fadwa is a Holistic Health Practitioner and a Registered Dietitian with the Nutrition and Dietetics board of Trinidad and Tobago. She is the founder of the company “Lett’s Bewellthy Holistic Centre” which focuses on holistic health and wellness, holistic healing and health management, with a special interest in functional medicine, women’s reproductive health and wellness, Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, Fibroids and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
She has been a volunteer and passionate advocate for management better care for women and with the TTEA since 2017 and is currently the TTEA’s Health Director, on the board of directors as well as WearFit Community Women’s in house Consulting Holistic Practitioner and Dietitian Health. Fadwa is also a yoga practitioner with a passion for home gardening, healing arts, meditation and recipe development, as well as an Inductee into the Purple Dragon Caribbean Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
Let’s Talk Endometriosis.
Thank you to those who attended our first IG Live Session on Monday and for your questions and the overall success.
Tune in to our next IG Live on Saturday 18, March 2023. With our SIAN sister Leann Nanan-Habib and guest speaker Dr. Sasha Durga-Lyons.
Dr. Durga-Lyons is a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist working in the field for over 13 years.
Initially she completed her MBBS at the UWI, then went on to become a member of the Royal College of Obstericians and Gynaecologists (UK) in 2017 and completed a Doctorate of medicine in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the University of the West Indies in 2020. She is also a Fellow of ACOG (American college of obstetrics and gynaecology).
She is currently employed as a consultant at the Port-of-Spain General hospital, the SDA Community hospital and at Good Health Medical
What more can we do to make this mountain taller, so that women after us can see farther? This is Rupi Kaur’s burning question as well as our own.
The women in this picture are united by the common goal of Educating, Enabling and Empowering women and girls. Every day the women in our group uplift one another, and celebrate the big and the small- the birthdays, professional accomplishments, engagements etc. We encourage one another in our fitness journeys, healthy diets and careers.
Simultaneously, we look for ways to help #EmbraceEquity and eliminate gender bias so that the women and girls who face the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis, struggle under a gender pay gap, are denied an education, trafficked, abused, unloved, can also achieve full equality.
We are encouraged and inspired by the women and girls who champion these causes with us.
Happy International Women’s Day!
Safe Spaces-Shifting the conversation from awareness to accountability
Unhealthy expectations of young men and boys, including emotional suppression as well as the validation of ‘anger’ as one of the few emotions boys are allowed to express freely, are all directly linked to gender-based violence and sexual harrassment.
Gender-based violence is fueled largely by the harmful ideas and attitudes peddled to young boys about who they should be. Our conversations with the youths of the Cocoyea and Bayshore Police Youth Clubs were done in the hopes that this bunch might learn it right the first time.
It’s okay to be small. 56, 17, 67.
Written by Angel Nyla Kungiesingh — September 30, 2022
In May, we had an idea to collect used handbags, fill them with hygiene and beauty products and donate them to less fortunate women whose budgets had no room for personal care items.
We set a loose goal of 100 bags. We raised enough funds for 56.
Over the
July-August
vacation,
we did mentorship sessions with 17 girls, educating them at the point where school sometimes stops: finances, career paths, mental and physical health. We tried to encourage their goals, to widen their dreams, to push them toward excellence
.
In August, we did our usual Back to School project where we managed to fill the booklists for 67 children from less fortunate homes.
I’ve heard it said that numbers like these are so minimal, that they ought not to be bothered with. That unless our leaders allocate more funds to education, and poverty eradication, our efforts will be but a drop in the ocean. That if there is to be real, noticeable change, it won’t be because of our small numbers.
I am eternally grateful that none of the amazing super-women in my club would be swayed from the projects we do, just because there is so much more to be done and people to be helped.
56, 17 and 67 are way more than just numbers for the members of my club.
We’ve seen first-hand how special a woman feels to receive a handbag, not just for the items inside but because she now had a bag to pack her belongings when it was time to leave the Shelter.
Nothing could convince me that the time put into mentoring a small group of girls, engaging in conversation with them, listening to their thoughts, equipping them with the tools we lacked years ago and making sure they knew they were worth every bit of it, was wasted time.
Seeing the burden lift, almost tangibly, off of a mother being presented with schoolbooks, and the way a child’s eyes shines on sight of her brand-new books; are tell-tale signs of the fact that this is not the way back-to-school prep usually goes for that family. And it is enough of a reason to make sure we do this project every year.
My SIAN sisters and I firmly believe in the importance of doing what we can, when we can, no matter how seemingly small; because the impact of our projects is anything but.
I’m sure the 56, 17 and 67 all feel the same.
The above article was also published by SIGBI via the following link:
https://sigbi.org/anaparima/2022/09/30/its-okay-to-be-small-56-17-67/
SITT National Association – 49th AGM
A superb turnout from SI Anaparima!
Soroptimist International National Association of Trinidad and Tobago held its 49th Annual General Meeting on Saturday, September 17th, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at Sky View Lounge, San Fernando.
It was a glorious return to an in-person meeting since our last AGM in 2019. All clubs were represented—SI Anaparima, SI Chaguanas, SI Couva, SI Esperance, SI Newtown, SI Port of Spain, and
SI San Fernando. Despite a bit of inclement weather, it was a great turnout of members.
The Gaia Element – Women at the heart of Climate Action
Written by Club Secretary, Stephanie Samuel-Chhita — June 30, 2022
She has been called by many names throughout the ages; Terra Mater was coined by the early Romans, while the goddess Gaia was rooted in Greek mythology. She is the all-powerful energy that gives birth to nature, creating everything that exists within it. It is this fundamental concept that solidifies my belief that women play a key role in climate action. In many instances however, that critical female representation is often absent where design, decision making and implementation is concerned.
The UN Women website cites “Because women possess unique knowledge and experience, particularly at the local level, their inclusion in decision-making processes is critical to effective climate action.” It is because of our inherent ability to nurture, I daresay, women are by and large the missing element in this fight to restore and protect our planet.
Research has shown that there is a clear correlation between women and climate change. Worldwide, women have less access than men to resources such as land, credit, agricultural inputs, decision-making structures, technology, training and other vital training tools that would enhance their skill and capacity to adapt to climate change. Furthermore, women are more likely to be displaced by climate change, suffer from pollution related health problems, lose income when climate related disasters strike, feel the effects of increased prices on the basic necessities, shoulder the responsibilities of increased work loads after a climate related disaster, just to name a few. Women and girls experience the greatest impacts of climate change, which amplifies existing gender inequalities and poses unique threats to their livelihoods, health, and safety. Research cited on weforum.org states that “By applying the gender lens to climate issues, we begin to see the 83% of single mothers who were unable to return to their homes for two years after Hurricane Katrina hit. Or that two-thirds of jobs lost in the wake of Katrina were those lost by women. We begin to see how women and children are 14 times more likely to die or be harmed when disasters strike. We see that among those displaced by climate change, 80% are women.”
This is why women are essential to the fight against climate change. Through their lived experiences, women are the custodians of nature-based solutions when it comes to skills for water harvesting and storage, food preservation and rationing, and natural resource management. They have the ability to turn knowledge that has been passed down through generations into action.
For this reason, it is imperative that we support and encourage women through programs that enable, educate and empower them. As an early career Environmentalist, I have found purpose and fulfillment through Soroptimism not only to advocate for conservation and climate action but also to share this knowledge and experience with others. It is by channeling my efforts to care for the environment that I have been able to make space not only for myself but for other women who also share this vision of preserving the Gaia Element.
The above article was also published by SIGBI via the following link:
https://sigbi.org/anaparima/2022/06/30/the-gaia-element/
Soroptimism – Dreaming Of and Working Towards a Better World
Written by Immediate Past President, Candace Maharaj — July 28, 2022
“I raise my voice not so I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard. We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai
At the current rate of progress, it will take another 108 years to reach gender parity, according to the 2018 World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report, which benchmarks 149 countries on their progress towards gender parity across four thematic dimensions—Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational Attainment, Health and Survival, and Political Empowerment.
That is a long time for women to face inequalities! We should not have to live in a world designed to limit our endless potential. According to Sheryl Sandberg, we need “to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation, to make sure women’s voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored.”
I dream of a day where my experiences and those of my sisters defy the current norms…
- where women can walk the streets safely without fear of violence or sexual exploitation
- where intimate partner sexual abuse is not widespread
- where women are valued enough to receive equal pay for equal work
- where implicit bias does not hold women back from opportunities for corporate success
- where working women are not expected to shoulder the majority of unpaid care work – currently women do three times as much unpaid care work as men
- where women are no longer the more vulnerable to food insecurity, instability, and homelessness brought about by the effects of climate change
- where female pain and medical issues are taken as seriously as they are for men
- where women are not under-represented in government which leads to existence or propagation of laws that disadvantage us
And this is not just rampant across so-called “third-world” developing countries. According to a 2021 World Bank study, the U.S.’s lack of laws around parental leave, equal pay, and equal pensions did not even place it in the top thirty countries that offer women full legal equality with men. Only ten countries scored a perfect 100 percent in terms of legislation ensuring equality. TEN COUNTRIES!
“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to make things better”– Robert F. Kennedy. Soroptimism literally means “the best for women,” and this global volunteer movement, of which I am a member, works to transform the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities. All our projects align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
I, for one, intend to do my part in contributing to the upliftment of women and girls. That means:
- advocating for gender equality as we do routinely on International Women’s Day and on the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, and throughout the year via our projects
- educating ourselves and others on current disparities and developing projects that help women and girls in our society advance their status and achieve their aspirations
- challenging everyday biases and stereotypes in our conversations and interactions
As an added bonus, I have a network of sisters who not only support one another but enjoy working together to build friendships and change lives; and who remind me every day of Michelle Obama’s words-“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish”!
The above article was also published by SIGBI via the following link:
https://sigbi.org/anaparima/2022/07/28/soroptimism-dreaming-of-and-working-towards-a-better-world/
When Passion Meets Purpose, We Can Create Magic
Written by Club President, Ahhalia Ramdass — August 31, 2022
The term “Soroptimist” can be best interpreted as “the best for women”; it was coined from the Latin “soror” meaning sister and “optima” meaning best.
In 1921 a group of over 80 business and professional women from California, banded together to form the first Soroptimist club. Their purpose was debating service projects and hearing speakers on worldwide issues that would inspire and broaden members’ horizons. While their initial work focused on the preservation of “ancient trees” their efforts soon turned to the growing concerns for women in their community. In the years that followed, many similar clubs sprung up unknown to each other until upon discovery, they finally joined together to form the international organization we know today – Soroptimist International. This organization consists of 3000 clubs across five federations, which boasts Category 2 Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council, United Nations!
SI Anaparima is proud to be one of these clubs under the federation of Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI). We are proud to uphold SIGBI’s vision which seeks to ensure that “women and girls will achieve their individual and collective potential, realize aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide”. We join with our sister clubs around the globe to continue the work that aids in “transforming the lives and status of women and girls through education, empowerment and enabling opportunities”.
At SI Anaparima, we have a group of passionate and brilliant women of varying ages and ethnicities, from various walks of life and with a wide range of professions, talents and skills. Though we are uniquely different individuals, like the founders of Soroptimist International 100 years ago, we are united in our desire to make a difference and face social issues and disparities head on. In our brief period of operation – just shy of 4 years – we have embarked upon many different projects focused on People, Planet and Peace that align with many different Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and diligently followed the example set out for us by our exceptional mentor, SI San Fernando. While we have enjoyed this journey every step of the way, we know that it is important to find our own voice and style – one that is uniquely SI Anaparima.
This year, without intentional deliberation on how to create our unique style, we stumbled upon a formula that is by no stretch new. In our planning, members started sharing ideas and goals that had personal meaning to them; battles they themselves had fought, environmental and social issues that move them, hopes and dreams for young girls that reflected opportunities missed by the women in that planning session. Very soon we had a buffet of potential projects that focused on education and advocacy of womens’ issues as well as projects that inspired and actioned change. As a group, we built our projects around the individual passions of our sisters and we allowed the bonds of sisterhood to motivate and propel us forward. The result – these projects created a wonderful space not only for serving others but also for learning from each other and growing together. The passion that came through the projects not only inspired us to create opportunities of great value that could be easily replicated, but many of our beneficiaries expressed the feeling of being genuinely seen and heard.
As women living in a world of inadequate resources, a dearth of information and broken systems, we were able to think back on our past, identify the gaps and shortcomings and create solutions so that others could thrive where we struggled. The spaces we were able to create were “safe” because we created them from a place of shared experiences.
This year, we will continue to strive to be “the women we needed as girls”. We are excited to find new opportunities to educate, empower and enable women and girls through passion and purpose.
The above article was also published by SIGBI via the following link:
https://sigbi.org/anaparima/2022/08/31/when-passion-meets-purpose-we-can-create-magic/
International Women’s Day 2022
In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2022, each of the seven Soroptimist International clubs of Trinidad and Tobago produced a video addressing:
A Mother’s work is REAL. Mothering through the Pandemic.
Whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead. Knowing that bias can’t exist isn’t enough.
#BreakTheBias #IWD2022
In celebration of SI’s Centenary, on Sunday, July 25, 2021, SITT published a 24-page newspaper supplement with the Guardian Newspaper, Trinidad.
Here’s our full-page editorial…
To read the entire supplement, click on the link below to access our FlipBook:
In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021, all six Soroptimist International Clubs of Trinidad and Tobago united to produce a series of videos featuring prominent local women who choose to challenge gender bias and inequality.
These women hail from different backgrounds and each shared their journey and determination to forge a gender-equal world.
We present:
Candace Maharaj, President
Ahhalia Ramdass
Shellanna Sewdass
#ChooseToChallenge
Sharing Books, Sharing Joy
Sharing Books, Sharing Joy.
To promote literacy and reading, on International Literacy Day 2020, SI Anaparima partnered with For The Love of Reading TT for this book corner in South Trinidad – where members of the public have access to free books and/or can donate their books for sharing too.
