International Projects

Every four years Soroptimist International launches a major international project in partnership with a charity, NGO or United Nations agency. Each project is designed to be self-sustaining by the end of SI's four-year commitment. Soroptimist members around the world join forces to give active support to the chosen project and in doing so, have improved the lives of many thousands of women and children across the globe.

Each Federation takes it in turns to propose an international project: our current project was initiated by Soroptimist International of Great Britain & Ireland.

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Soroptimist International Quadrennial Project 2007 to 2011

Our current Quadrennial Project, Project SIerra: a Family and a Future, was launched at Convention in July 2007. The project supports women caring for children in extreme poverty and provides a caring secure family home for children who are alone or at risk of abandonment.  The project location is Sierra Leone, West Africa. Our project partner is 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 

Support to each child and family will be individually tailored to meet their needs, including: 

• education

• health care

• counselling and help to strengthen family ties

• securing safe living conditions

• economic support to help families move towards self-sufficiency

Project SIerra addresses all Soroptimist Programme Focus Goals and Objectives and UN Millennium Development Goals.
 

Project resources

• Project SIerra’s dedicated website www.projectsierra.org is the main source of information and downloads. It is regularly updated with new resources, news and progress reports about the project and Soroptimist involvement and fund raising

• Soroptimist Club Protocol contains information about Project SIerra, our partner and ideas for advocacy and fundraising

• A colour brochure and DVD specially made for Project SIerra have been released to all Federations

• Each Federation has appointed a Federation Liaison to lead her Federation’s support for the project

International President Margaret visited Project SIerra in February 2008.  Project SIerra’s first Study Tour will be held in February 2009 to give a small number of Soroptimists the opportunity to learn about the project at first hand. See www.projectsierra.org for news of IP Margaret’s visit and more information on the Study Tour.

SI International Project Liaison

Contact Alison Sutherland at project.liaison@soroptimistinternational.org to learn how you can support Project SIerra.

To find out more

See the Club Protocol and visit www.projectsierra.org