"Rise and Shine in Ba and Lautoka"
Soroptimist International of the South West Pacific President Anusha Santhirasthipam writes about her recent visit to Fiji for the Project launch of Sanctuary: Shelter for Women.
Episode 1 - SISWP Presidential Work Tour & Project Launch in Fiji (Tuesday 21st to Sunday 26th August, 2018)
On Anusha's first day in Fiji she writes " We visited successful ongoing projects carried out by the dynamic and highly accomplished team of SI Ba Club...."
Article by Anusha Santhirasthipam,
SISWP President 2018-2020.
I began my Presidential Work Tour together with Company Secretary Karen Ford immediately after landing at NADI International Airport on Tuesday 21st August. Fourteen hours of long haul overnight flight from Kuala Lumpur was a small price to pay to be in this blessed country Fiji.
We visited successful ongoing projects carried out by the dynamic and highly accomplished team of SI Ba Club, ably led by Club President Dr Senata Tinaiseru R and backed by powerful knowledgeable leaders, namely, SISWP Director and NR Fiji Veena Kiran, Past NR Fiji and Federation Project Manager Dr Maria Doton, SI Fiji Region President Elect Jagindar Dayal and many others.
Highlights were the Shady Cool social enterprise programme to economically empower local indigenous women to prepare a variety of food for sale to local hospitals and other regular customers. This programme is recipient of SI President's Appeal 2013-2015 See Solar Cook Solar Project.
Also, the highly sustainable Ba Women's Forum programme where a double storey building has been newly constructed using government grants and donations from foreign embassies. Soroptimists from SI Ba Club train local women to sew garments, produce handicraft, handbags and fashion jewellery, as well as aromatic soaps and candles for sale. Soroptimists take care of the promotion and marketing of these fine products.
Our amazing tour of projects was followed by a Welcome Dinner programme officiated by Hon. Rosy Akbar, Minister for Health & Medical Services, Fiji. The Honourable Minister has been a member of SI Ba for many years before entering politics. A splendid evening programme hosted by SI Ba members who prepared all the dishes for the scrumptious feast.
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Anusha Santhirasthipam
SISWP President 2018-2020