Our Projects

We initiate projects, within the six programme areas, that meet the needs of our local community. Examples of projects currently underway include:

Sports Scholarships
We support children at local primary and high schools to engage in sporting activities.

Starick Refuge
We support, through donations, a local women's refuge including putting together "comfort pouches" which are given to the refuge to hand out to their clients on arrival. At Christmas, the members of SI South Perth and their friends and associates put together food hampers for women at the refuge and those involved in their outreach programs.

Relay fo Life
Relay for Life encapsulates memorial and survivorship tributes, a celebration of life & healing and hope for a cancer free future. We experience the magic of The Cancer Council Western Australia's fantastic high profile event by registering our team to make those steps count by contributing towards a cancer free future.

Smith Family
We support two disadvantaged primary school children in WA to get the most from their education.

World Vision
A child in southern India receives ongoing support from our club.

International Womens Day Breakfast
An invitation in given to four year 12 students from local high schools.

Mother's Day Initiative
Each year our club gives flowers to be distributed with "Meals on Wheels". A concert and a morning tea is organised for mothers who can attend.

Friendship Link
Each Soroptimist Club exchanges letters with other clubs providing updates on programs and activities. Officially our friendship links at present are to:

SI Cwmbran in South Wales
SI Cape of Good Hope in South Africa
SI Bangalore
SI Downpatrick and Districts

Environmental Pledges
Each year we present a pledge form to increase awareness of our environment.

Representation on local committees
Southcare Inc
South Perth Senior Citizens Inc

Soroptimist International Federation - South West Pacific

>> www.siswp.org

At the South West Pacific Conference of Clubs, held biennually, delegates vote to support a specific Federation Project for the ensuing two years.

The 2004-2006 project, called "Halt Domestic Violence" in Papua New Guinea. This project will develop an effective and culturally appropriate set of mediation and counselling techniques in the field of family violence that will be tranported to the villages as well as urban areas. Following an initial workshop to develop techniques and materials, Government and NGO workers will be trained and supported by a pool of volunteer supervisors. It is managed by SI Lae.

Soroptimist International - International
Soroptimist International Quadrennial Project
Each quadrennium, Soroptimists commit themselves to a project which will be supported by all clubs throughout the world for the next four years. Such projects are carried out in conjunction with one of the UN agencies or another NGO which has the infrastructure in place to assist local Soroptimists to oversee the project. Federations take it in turn to propose a suitable project for adoption and acceptance at the International Convention.

Project Sierra: A Family and a Future 2007 – 2011
Project will support women caring for children in extreme poverty and provide a caring secure family home for children who are alone or at risk of abandonment.

Project location: Sierra Leone, West Africa
Our partner: Hope and Homes for Children

Project objectives

• Children aged 6 to 12 years who live on the streets will be helped to return home
• Very young mothers estranged from their families will be empowered to be active community members and where possible reintegrate with their families
• Families at risk of breakdown due to poverty, illness or death of one or both parents will be supported to self-sufficiency

Past Quadrennial Projects
2003 - 2007 "Project Independence: Women Survivors of War" raised funds to open support centers in Kigali, Rwanda and Kabul, Afghanistan, and expand services at centers in Bosnia.

President's Appeal
In addition, each year there is the President's Appeal on December 10 (Human Rights Day) whereby Soroptimists are asked to make some small personal sacrifice and donate the money saved to a project chosen by the President of Soroptimist International.