Let the Awareness, Advocacy and Action Begin!
Soroptimists and Friends Fundraising Successes

Soroptimists worldwide have already started working vigorously for the new
Quadrennial Project – Project Independence: Women Survivors of War. Each of the Soroptimist clubs that have taken on this project are accompanying their activity with presentations that emphasize awareness about women survivors of war. Listed below are a few of the activities that have taken place.

Awareness Raising Events · Project Independence Dinners · Fundraising Events ·
Meetings and Conferences

Awareness Raising Events

CGHS Student Launches Community-Service Project

Gabriella Imbriano (right), a junior at CG High School, has undertaken an ambitious outreach community-service project this year that is designed to empower women and children in war-torn countries. She is working on Project Independence, which is a combined effort of two nonprofit organizations: Women for Women International and Soroptimist International of the Americas, with a focus on supporting women survivors of war in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Rwanda. The project is designed to raise money that will be used to provide thousands of women with the skills they need to rebuild their lives after war.

Imbriano explains, “About two years ago I happened to catch a segment on Oprah about the horrific events occurring in the Republic of Congo. A rebel militia had been overrunning the country, abducting and recruiting young boys and men into their army, and raping women of all ages. The women were then left in horrible health conditions, with no husband or son to help them and had no way of supporting their families. This injustice was so appalling to me that it has stuck in my mind ever since. I have chosen a community-service project that will offer these kinds of women an opportunity to improve their lives and give them hope for a brighter future.”

If you would like to help Gabriella raise money to help these women and children, please make a donation. She will be providing information and collecting money during intermission at the upcoming CGHS Spring Musical on March 1–3 and also during CGHS Broadway Nights Performance, scheduled for April 5. Contributions of any size will be appreciated and can also be sent to: Project Independence, c/o R I Consulting, P.O. Box 241, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009. Please make checks payable to: Soroptimist International of the Americas (SIA), and indicate “Project Independence” in the memo area of the check.

Let Freedom Ring CD

FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY: Purchase your copy of Let Freedom Ring on Women for Women International's Virtual Bazaar. Start shopping today!

The inspiration for this CD came from the women survivors of war in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Rwanda who are daily working to overcome the tragedy and consequences of war and through this project become self sufficient and contribute to their families and their communities. This music is dedicated to all of the heroines and heros who survive struggles in their lives and those that support the survivors through their advocacy and action.

You can also purchase Let Freedom Ring on CDBaby.  Go to the CDBaby website to learn how to order your copy.

Women Walking for Women Survivors of War
view the poster
download the poster as a pdf

Update: Over 140 clubs all over the UK have pledged their support! Bring the Walk to your club and region. Click here to access the sign-up sheet and view a sample form.

Soroptomist International UK Programme Action Committee invites you to join with them in the Women Walking for Women Survivors of War. This is an International sponsored walk that is being held on Saturday, September 23, 2006. Each club will organize a walk in their own location and the walk can be planned to include as many women as possible.

If your club, region, or national association is interested in being a part of the event to raise awareness of the women survivors of war, please click here to download the poster for more information.  All the sponsorship money raised will be given to Project Independence Women Survivors of War.

International Women's Day - Women Striving for a Peaceful Society
On International Women's Day, March 8, 2006, SISWP member, Chris Knight, was asked to speak on the issues of women, peace, and Project Independence at a Brisbane breakfast honoring the day. To read Chris's full remarks, please click here.

Live Your Dream Faire
On Saturday, March 4th, Soroptimist International provided a unique opportunity for women and girls throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to participate in their first "Live Your Dream" Faire. Attendees were provided information and inspirations in the areas of health and financial management, career and business options, volunteerism and much more through over fifty exhibitors, guest speakers, workshops and health panel discussions. Besides being a Soroptimist "Saturday of Service Project", this event helped raise funds for "Project Independence: Women Survivors of War", a project that Soroptimist International and Women for Women International have partnered together on to raise at least $1.3 million to support job training and business development opportunities for women affected by war in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Rwanda. The Live Your Dream Faire raised over $8,700 in support of this critical project while informing women and girls about the plight of women around the world who may now have a chance to live their dreams too - thanks to Project Independence.

GIRLS – "Living their dreams" and MAKE A DIFFERENCE for Project Independence: Women Survivors of War!
Last August, Janice Park, a teenager from La Crescenta High School in Southern California, read about Project Independence: Women Survivors of War on the Women for Women International website and immediately contacted Dawn Marie Lemonds. In a very persuasive way, Janice insisted that she should be an Ambassador for Project Independence and wouldn't accept the requirement of being a Soroptimist! She even had a plan to share information and DVD presentation with several teenage groups.

Who can resist a girl with a dream? Dawn Marie Lemonds put her in touch with Sandy Schultz, SIA Secretary Treasurer from a local Soroptimist Club who has since met with her. Sandy wrote the following about Janice. "Through Janice's Girls League involvement she was able to suggest and initiate a fundraiser to raise money for this project. Her club raised $124.77! However, this was not enough for her and she proceeded to have the Girls' League members write notes of encouragement to the women in Rwanda. These notes of encouragement were distributed to the women of Rwanda at a graduation ceremony during the time that Soroptimist members were visiting Rwanda as part of a study tour of the WWI program in February. The notes were deeply appreciated by these women, especially when they realized that American teenage girls cared. Janice is a future Soroptimist in the making and I can't wait to see her "live her dreams!"

Janice Park and Sandy Schultz SIA Secretary Treasurer

War, Women and Survival.sometimes it takes courage to survive,"
16 September - 15 December 2005
read this article
The theme of the exhibition organized by members of SIGBI was chosen to illustrate the roles women have played in war over time and place, often overlooked in traditional studies of war.  The displays were designed to show the ways in which war has impacted on women's lives, both negatively and positively, and especially to highlight how wars in the 20th and 21st centuries have involved women and children to a greater extent than in the past.

Calendar of Awareness
Soroptimist International - Guildford has created a calendar of awareness for their summer fundraiser. The calendar has different facts about the Project Independence countries and asks participants to put aside a certain amount of money depending on how the fact relates to the lives of Soroptimist. An example is " Project Independence will help women train in trades such as carpentry, upholstery, shoe repair and candle making. Give 5p if you are adept at any of these skills, 10p if not." Click here to download a copy of the calendar to use with your club.

Messages of Support
Members of Soroptimist International - La Grande, OR signed messages of support to send to women participating in Women for Women International's programs overseas. Members wrote "Dear sister, I support you in your struggle to overcome adversity," and signed their names. Women for Women International will distribute these message throughout the Project Independence focus countries. Click on the messages to see them enlarged.

Soroptimist International Thrift Store
Soroptimist International - Valley of the Sun will be playing Women for Women International's video during sales events and other community events to raise awareness for Project Independence and women survivors of war and conflict. The thrift store raises money to benefit Project Independence and other charities supported by SI - Valley of the Sun.

"War Cake: A Witness to the Siege of Sarajevo" by Linda Flynn Beekman
Soroptimist International - Newport Harbor and author Linda Flynn Beekman joined forces to raise money for Project Independence. Linda Flynn Beekman worked as a volunteer in Sarajevo and tells the stories of ordinary people and their experiences surviving conflict. Michael De Toro, Esq.of the US State Department Bureau of Human Rights, even offered a quote about Linda for the book. The proceeds from sales of the book "War Cake" benefited Project Independence.

Project Independence Postcards
The Italian Union has designed postcards to distribute to its 129 clubs. Proceeds from the sale of the postcard will benefit Project Independence.

Project Independence Program Action Evening
Soroptimist International – Dunferline, Scotland (SIGBI) hosted a program action evening to provide education and awareness about the project. After the meeting, members were asked to come to the next meeting with fundraising ideas. Click here to read the Program Action Evening Agenda.

Project Independence Quiz
To help raise awareness and educate their members, a club member of Soroptimist International – Kirkcaldy, Scotland (SIGBI) developed a quiz for members to take after watching the Women for Women International video. Click here to obtain a copy of the quiz.

Rwanda Peace Marathon 2005
Organized by Soroptimist International of Europe, Rwandan Soroptimists and Rwandan Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture, the first International Peace Marathon will take place on May 15th, 2005 in Kigali. The marathon will promote the process of reconciliation among Rwandans, openness to international relationships and aid to victims of the genocide and violence. Click here to read more about the Peace Marathon.

Rwanda Peace Marathon 2006
The 2005 Marathon was so successful that another marathon was held in May 2006. Judy Lewis of SI - South Peninsula attended the event and visited Women for Women International's offices in Kigali, Rwanda. Read more about Judy's experience.

New Member Outreach
Soroptimist International – Metro Seattle (SI/A) combined a new member outreach event with awareness-raising about Project Independence. Held at the local Women’s University Club, the even attracted a number of prospective new members and earned funds for Project Independence through sales.

Project Independence Dinners/Lunches

SI Kirkcaldy hosted a lunch for members to raise funds for Project Independence. They used recipes from the three countries the project is operating in, and devised a menu featuring delicious dishes such as Qabili Pilau from Afghanistan, Musaka from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Fruit Pie from Rwanda. Jenny McLeod and Roberta Goodall brought their own individual touches to the dishes, to ensure they suited Scottish palates, and they were voted a resounding success. A few bottles of wine also made sure that the afternoon went with a swing, although members never forgot why they were there. Members paid £10 each and they all agreed they had had a most unusual and tasty lunch. The $325/£170 that was raised has been sent to the Project. Jenny McLeod, Thelma Simpson and Roberta Goodall show off their dishes and their Soroptimist pride in the picture above.

Dawn Marie Lemonds, Quadrennial Project Liaison, hosted a brunch for her "Best Buddies" on March 13, 2004. The brunch was in honor of International Women's Day on March 8th, and celebrated the women in her life. During the brunch Dawn Maire shared stories about the women that the group sponsored this year, and held a Silent Auction where proceeds benefited Project Independence.

The Cambridge Club of Soroptimist International of Western Australia raised $1,000 through a “Women Survivors of War” dinner on February 14, 2004. Click here for more dinner ideas

Soroptimist International – North Coast San Diego (SI/A) hosted an amazing dinner featuring foods from all three Project Independence countries, including food that would have been prepared during war. All of the tables had globes on them and guests were asked to find the three countries of our project as well as read stories of Project Independence participants. The community was invited to the event, with all proceeds benefiting Project Independence. Click here for recipes from Project Independence countries and for stories of Project Independence participants.

Several clubs in Vacaville (SI/A) hosted a Community Lobster Dinner, followed by a PowerPoint presentation with information about each of the three Project Independence countries. The dinner raised $3,600 to benefit Project Independence.

Fundraising Events · Meetings and Conferences

Let us know what you are doing to promote the project and make it successful. Email your success stories to projectindependence@womenforwomen.org or to dawnmarie.lemonds@gmail.com.

Stay tuned to the Project Independence website and look for promotions from your Federation about upcoming products that will soon be available to generate funds for Project Independence.