Soroptimist

Benefits of Being a Soroptimist

BEING A SOROPTIMIST MEANS MANY THINGS
•    It means you care about making a difference in the lives of women and children - in your community, your country, and throughout the world.
•    It means you're willing to give of your time and talent to raise funds and provide service to others in your community.
•    It means you are a person of action - not someone who waits for others to improve the lives of those less fortunate.

SOROPTIMIST MEMBERSHIP BRINGS SPECIAL BENEFITS

•    Satisfaction - Your efforts in your club to perform community service, to bestow grants and to award scholarships will bring you a gift as great as those you give - the satisfaction of knowing that on a local, regional and international level you have helped others.
•    Knowledge and Personal Growth - Through your club's efforts to make a difference in your community - you will learn more about your community -you will learn how to lead and how to follow.
•    Networking - Share your business and/or professional expertise with others and learn about theirs in return.
•    Friendship - In the course of participating in your Soroptimist club activities, you will forge new friendships - many that will last a lifetime.

Soroptimist Pledge

I pledge allegiance to Soroptimist, and to the ideals for which it stands.
The Sincerity of Friendship, the Joy of Achievement,
The Dignity of Service, the Integrity of Profession, the Love of Country.
I will put forth my greatest effort to promote, uphold and defend these ideals
for a larger fellowship, in home, in society, in business for country and for God.

Soroptimist Symphony

If I can serve another’s needs
If I can be a friend in deed
If I can lessen someone’s pain
Always be glad to share my gain
Then I will know joy’s meaning true
Found in achieving work to do
Then I will the reason why
Soroptimist am I

Give yourself the gift of Soroptimist membership -
The gift of belonging to an international service organization that strives constantly to improve the lives of others.

Accept the Gift - JOIN SOROPTIMIST TODAY!
We welcome enthusiastic women who want to make a difference within their own local communities,
and who are willing to develop an understanding of and take action on national and international issues.
To become a member of

Soroptimist International Union of Kenya,

please e-mail us with your contact details
and we will forward them to a club near your(Please Link to - Contact us)

SI Union of kenya History

SI/K founded its first club in Nairobi in 1979, and the Union of SI/K was chartered in 1995, after the opening of the 4th Club. To day (2009) SI/K consists of 10 clubs with a total of 190 members. Soroptimist clubs in Kenya, work in partnership with other NGO’s and a number of government agencies, including the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Social Services. SI/K has close contact to this Ministry as the Minister is a soroptimist and a strong promoter for the SI mission and projects in Kenya.
Soroptimists in Kenya, are highly respected women who, through their voluntary services, professional and ethical standards, act as role models for other women in their workplaces and local communities. They represent a wide variety of professions within the government and private sector. A number of soroptimist members work in the textile, hotel and catering industries and will, through their work experience and professional contacts, be a helpful resource for the project which will focus on women employees in medium and small scale industries. Other soroptimists, who work in fields of information technology, education, health, agriculture, banking, accountancy, administration, law and many other fields, will also provide important and practical inputs to the management and implementation of the project.

SI clubs in Kenya provide support to rural and urban women through various practical projects. In rural areas clubs support small scale women farmers, who are the main food producers in Kenya, to gain access to improved seeds, other agricultural inputs, extension services and markets. They also engage in rain harvesting, simple water storage facilities, and safe drinking water and sanitation projects. Women are trained in leadership skills and are encouraged to work in groups to keep check and assist each other.

In the urban and semi-urban centre’s, the clubs mostly work with the women in slum areas, were they encourage women to grow small vegetable gardens and help them to start up small scale businesses through micro-financing. This helps women provide food for their families, and make an income to pay for their children’s education and for other needs. Soroptimist clubs also conduct regular free medical camps in the slum areas and teach women and children about water purification methods, to help avoid water borne diseases.
Mobilizing and empowering women to plant trees on their own plots, in water catchment areas, schools and other public places, as a means to mitigate deforestation, soil erosion and limited water resources, is another major activity supported by all 10 clubs.
During the 2007/2008 Post-Election violence in Kenya - Soroptimist in Kenya played a key role with the financial support from SI/A and SI/E in helping families, and particularly women headed families/households, resettle. Houses were constructed and girls helped back to school. Most of the resettled women continue to need assistance with basic needs, food, water and sanitation while also receiving literacy and skills training to enable them engage in income earning activities. SI/K along with other local NGO’s continue to provide such support.

Vision

Soroptimist International is a vibrant, dynamic organisation for today's professional and business women. We are committed to a world where women and girls together achieve their individual and collective potential, realise aspirations and have an equal voice in creating strong, peaceful communities worldwide.

Mission

Soroptimists inspire action and create opportunities to transform the lives of women and girls through a global network of members and international partnerships.

Values

• Human rights for all
• Global peace and international goodwill
• Advancing women’s potential
• Integrity and democratic decision making
• Volunteering, diversity and friendship

Goal 1 - Programme

Soroptimists will ensure that women and girls enjoy equality, live in safe, healthy and equitable environments, have access to education and have leadership and practical skills.

Goal 2 - Organizational Development

Soroptimist International will have a dynamic, flexible and responsive membership, with an international point of connection, committed to the delivery of its vision and mission.

Goal 3 - Strategic Leadership

SI will be a strategic organisation with dynamic and proactive leadership at all levels, able to deliver results and ensure its vision is achieved.

Attachments:

File	Description
Rehabilitation of Mau Forest	Presentation in Montreal on Mau Forest Rehablitation.
Economic Empowerment of Women and Rural Communities in Kenya	Presentation in Montreal on Economic Empowerment of Women