Soroptimist International celebrates 100 years of history in 2021.
As we go through the year, we will remember how our organisation came to be what it is today.
Before Soroptimist International began
2021 is fast approaching. Time to think about the world just before Soroptimist International started….
Throughout the 19th century, women were increasingly prominent in society. Governments had begun to pass laws for the first time on social matters such as health. Women were especially interested in those subjects. They were also more able to continue their education – women’s colleges opened in the US and UK towards the end of the 19th century. And many women’s clubs were set up at that time. In the US, they were just about socialising at first. Soon they were also trying to bring about social change.
Then as now: the 20th century saw great upheaval during the first twenty years – back then, there was a terrible world war, followed by a pandemic called ‘Spanish’ flu. For us, 2000-2020 has seen a major financial crisis followed by the coronavirus pandemic.
A new decade began then – just as it is for us now – with hopes of better things. The war and the pandemic had brought destabilisation, much sorrow, great hardship. The new decade starting in 1921 was to bring great change – and the launching of Soroptimist International.
Soroptimist Day – 10 December
Since 1984, December 10th has been Soroptimist Day. It is the day we donate to the Soroptimist International President’s Biennial Fund Appeal. Every two years, a new project is chosen. Details of the current project The Road to Equality, read here.
This year, we decided to split our donation between the Biennial Fund Appeal and the Benevolent Fund of our national Federation. The Benevolent Fund was planned from 1939 and launched in 1941. It has been helping Soroptimists in need ever since. When the idea was conceived, our country had been in the Depression of the 1930s and war had just been declared. There was a clear need to help our sisters.
As we give today, we reflect on the fact that the need for the Benevolent Fund has not lessened. The present circumstances – a financial crisis that lingers in the memory and now a pandemic that is causing enormous hardship to many – are similar to the problems of the past.
Follow our journey from then to now in our monthly posts and here.