Team Has Become Stronger and Wider with More Sustainable Projects

Soroptimist International is a worldwide non-governmental organisation for women, started in 1921 by a group of 80 women in Oakland to work for the benefit of underprivileged women and girls across the world.

The Madurai chapter, inaugurated in 2009, is the 16th Soroptimist Club in India and the second one in Tamil Nadu after Chennai. The Indian branches of SI are affiliated with the U.K. body and started with its headquarters in Pune 15 years ago.

SI Madurai has 30-odd members from Madurai, Sivakasi, Dindigul and Rajapalayam. Belonging to various professions and different walks of life, they have all joined hands to be the reason behind someone’s smile. In today’s fast-paced world, spotting people with a service mindset has become sporadic. But organisations like these are helping bridge the gap of humanity.

Latha Abiruben, during her tenure, executed various useful projects for the people of Madurai. Her environment-friendly projects received a good response from the public. The best initiatives from the previous year included the “Save Earth” Marathon, mega organic expo, distribution of “Go Green” stickers and various awareness campaigns for women.

“I still get calls from people with queries about organic farming. The expo helped to open up the minds of people to transform their lives into healthy living,” says the former president.

For this year, Sangeetha Ranjith Soundarajan also has useful projects in her bucket list. She plans to give priority to projects on hygiene and grooming and “Educate to Lead”, as she feels these would be of immense benefit to women and children.

Her immediate project will include the celebration of Mother’s Day. She plans to either join with the smokeless stove initiative of SI Kodaikanal or provide food and apparel to Aishwarya Trust for the poor.

Other big projects include the celebration of Environment Day on June 5 by adopting the “Miyawaki method of planting trees” under SI Madurai’s ongoing “Green Umbrella” project. These trees would be planted on government land, in parks, schools and colleges with prior consent.

The team will also continue its good work by taking “Good Touch and Bad Touch” sessions to schools in remote villages such as Andipatti, Usilampatti and Kallikapan, to name a few.

Schools under their ongoing “Fistful of Grains” project will extend their reach by providing grains to needy people in Mangulam, Thirumangalam, Burma Colony and Anbagam.

Talks are also underway to implement the “Thaneer Sevai” method, where school students will drop their leftover water into a large drum, which would later be used for watering plants on school premises.

First-generation students in colleges will be selected for a grooming and training session on attitude and etiquette in August. It may also include a lingerie-fitting session. A Young Soroptimist Club will also be formed in these colleges, according to Sangeetha.

In September, hygiene initiatives would be undertaken with the distribution of hygiene kits containing sanitary pads, anti-lice medicines and herbal products in the villages of Kalikappan, Karumparai and Usilampatti, to begin with. This will also be followed by sessions on using natural products and a free medical camp for women.

A session on self-employment opportunities for abused women is slated for November.

“This particular project requires a lot of support from professionals because training abused women is not an easy task. Self-sustaining small-scale industry projects and support from doctors, psychologists, police, lawyers and a wider group is what we are looking at,” explains the new president.

During the installation ceremony, as part of the SI Madurai Scholarship Fund for Empowerment through Education (SIMFEE), Lakshmi Murugesan gifted Rs. 13,900 to Yoga Priya, a student of the College of Social Science.

Sangeetha Ranjith Soundarajan donated Rs. 15,500 to Sangeetha, a child from Able School, towards her fees, uniform and callipers.

The other new team members are Chitra Ganapathy as the Vice President, Roopa Mahesh as Secretary and Jayanthi Raja as the Treasurer.

In its five years of existence, the Madurai chapter has undertaken several socially useful projects and worked on creating awareness among the city’s residents about plastic waste segregation and management. It has created a green space, offered scholarships to college students and worked with HIV-positive children.

The Madurai Chapter has 28 members drawn from different professions from Madurai, Sivakasi, Dindigul and Rajapalayam. They have all joined together to share their time, talents and financial resources to enrich the communities and make a difference, especially to women.

“We are lucky to have been born in families that respect their women. Let us use this opportunity to bring about changes in the lives of women who are abused when young and neglected when old and sick,” said Dr. Sudha in her acceptance speech.

As Vice President of the club last year, she initiated the “Good Touch, Bad Touch” project in various schools. Projects are carefully chosen to address the challenges faced by individual communities and particularly women.

Outlining her priorities in her new role, Dr. Sudha said she would take up initiatives for a good cause that will transform the lives of women and girls. In the coming days, the members plan to use education as a tool for ending violence against women. They also plan to hold more awareness and screening camps for anaemia, menopause, breast cancer and cervical cancer.

“We would like to do a few projects but in a big way for a greater and socially relevant impact,” said Dr. Sudha.

The members intend to continue with more projects on good and bad touch that will educate, enable and empower women and girls, besides initiatives focused on safeguarding the environment from plastics and promoting eco-friendly disposal of waste.

Dr. Sudha Dheep’s new team consists of A. Latha as Vice President, Sabina Ali as Secretary and R. Jayanthi as Treasurer.

Baby Annay won Healthy baby contest organized by The soroptimist international, Madurai and prizes are distributed by Doctor Preethi.

For Students taking part in an awareness rally organized by Soroptimist International in the city on Friday.

Madurai: As a part of the World Environment Day celebrations, soroptimist International Madurai will initiate a campaign for adaption of biodegradable plastic bags by various stakeholders on June 5.

Tribal Children Screened

Madurai: Soroptimist International, Madurai, organized a free health check-up for 30 tribal children from Usilampatti, Theni and Ariyalur who were attending a summer camp organized by the Justice Shivraj V. Patil Foundation in the city on Sunday.

The children were given a talk on gender sensitization by Dr. Sudha Dheep.

A health awareness programme was also organized by SI Madurai on Sunday to mark Women’s Day at Devadoss Multispeciality Hospital.