Soroptimists seek to become an
active influence for positive change in society
through Awareness, Advocacy, and Action.
Soroptimists work to promote social justice,
equity and the empowerment of women. The
majority of Soroptimist's work -
to improve the lives of women and girls
- is done at the local club level.
Soroptimist International of the Americas has more than 1,400
clubs in 19 countries and territories. Clubs
assess the needs of their communities and then
undertake
projects
that will best fill those needs.
OUR MAJOR SERVICE PROJECT
Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards:
The Soroptimist Women’s Opportunity Awards
program was established in 1972 to assist women
with primary financial responsibility for their
families to obtain the skills training and
education necessary to improve their employment
status and standard of living for themselves and
their family. Each year, more than US $1 million
in club, region, and federation funds is awarded
to more than 1000 women in SIA’s 19 member
countries and territories. The women receiving
these financial awards may use them for any
costs associated with their educational efforts,
including tuition, books, child care, and
transportation.
For
more information, or to apply for this award go
to:
http://www.soproptimist.org/awards/awards.html.
Once
you complete the application,
contact us for
further details
Projects that Benefit Women and Girls
Ø Soroptimists STOP Trafficking:
The goal of the Soroptimists STOP Trafficking project is to
raise awareness in the general population about
trafficking and sexual slavery.
Ø Soroptimist
Teen Dating Violence Bookmark:
SIA has designed a bookmark to help clubs raise
awareness about teen dating violence and to
promote healthy teen relationships.
Ø Soroptimist
Workplace Campaign to End Domestic Violence:
is an ongoing effort to raise awareness about a little addressed domestic
violence issue: domestic violence as a workplace
concern.
Ø Soroptimist
Club Grants for Women and Girls:
awards given to Soroptimist clubs to start or
continue projects in their communities that
improve the lives of women or girls, in
accordance with the mission of SIA.
Ø Soroptimist
Disaster Relief Fund: provides
grants to clubs and regions for relief work that
benefits women and girls in areas affected by a
natural disaster or acts of war. In 2007-2008,
SIA distributed $87,000 in disaster relief
funds. The funds are distributed to local
Soroptimist clubs who have identified specific
relief projects which they will manage.
Ø Soroptimist
Violet Richardson Award :
a recognition program for young women ages 14-17
engaged in volunteer action within their
communities or schools. The award is given to
young women whose activities make the community
and world a better place.
Ø Soroptimist
Making a Difference for Women Award:
honors a woman who has worked to improve the
lives of women and girls through her
professional or volunteer work. The program
begins at the local-level where clubs recognize
a woman in their community. At the
federation-level one woman is selected to
receive a $5,000 donation to her favorite
charitable organization.
Soroptimist International Projects
Ø Project
Sierra: A Family and a Future:
Project Sierra partners Soroptimist
International with Hope and Homes for Children
to transform the lives of some of the most
deprived women and children in Sierra Leone by
providing support to young mothers, assisting
children living on the streets and working to
assist the most vulnerable families in the
country. For more information, visit the Project
Sierra web site at
www.projectSIerra.org.
Ø
Project Five-O :
This project was adopted by the International
Board in 1980, and focuses on providing
vocational training and employment for women in
developing countries. Soroptimist International
is one of five project partners, along with the
International Federation of University Women,
the International Council of Women, the
International Federation of Business and
Professional Women, and Zonta International.
President’s Annual December 10th Appeal:
Every year, on Human Rights Day (Dec. 10th)
the Soroptimist International president appeals
to all Soroptimists to make a small sacrifice
and donate funds saved to a specially designated
project that will assist women. Past projects
have provided aid for refugees in camps in
Malaysia; protection and help for women AIDS
sufferers in Uganda and the Ukraine;
scholarships for girls in Mongolia and Rwanda;
vocational training programs and shelter for
vulnerable women and children in Paraguay;
education and nutrition for abandoned children
in Vietnam; malaria protection for pregnant
women and young children in Benin, West Africa;
enhanced access to education for girls in
impoverished areas of Pakistan and support for
the Hamlin Fistula Relief and Aid Fund in
Ethiopia
