Soroptimist International Friendship Links


“What is FRIENDSHIP? Friendship is when you are down and troubled and your friend is beside you, Friendship is when you have an open-minded discussion about all kinds of matters and afterwards you are still friends, Friendship is a hug worth a thousand words, Friendship is when you meet a person and your life is changed forever, Friendship is when we sing the Soroptimist Symphony together.” Hanne Jensbo, President, Soroptimist International.


Friendship Links have always been a meaningful way for Soroptimist clubs to get to know other members of Soroptimist International from around the world and build an appreciation and understanding of cultures very different from their own. By exchanging communications and sharing information, clubs with Friendship Links have gained valuable information about


the challenges facing women around the world. In many cases, these relationships have grown to support local Soroptimist projects that improve the lives of women and girls. In this feature, we report on a very small selection of Friendship Links and hear some leading members’ views on what Soroptimist Friendship means to them.


Longterm development with friends Lori Blair, Senior Director of Programme Services SI of the Americas reports: “11 years ago, Terry Phillips (1996-1998 Midwestern Region Governor) and Beverly Bucur (2006-2008 Midwestern Region Governor) travelled to Bolivia to meet members of their Friendship Link.


club, SI Cochabamba, managed so many wonderful projects. SI Cochabamba proudly demonstrated their project that teaches women how to read and cut patterns, sew and design clothes. As they were leaving the centre, one of the project participants begged them not to go. With the help of a translator, the woman explained that the sewing machines rotated between three villages and once they were gone, they could not continue their project. That year, at region conference, Beverly gave a presentation about the project and attendees donated enough to purchase 10 sewing machines for the women of Cochabamba.


continued to support SI Cochabamba with donations to purchase baking ovens, sewing supplies, literacy materials and computers. 2000-2002 Midwestern Region Governor Joan Stallard pledged US$1700 from a region fundraiser to help SI Cochabama build The Learning House for Women. “The support of SI Chicago and the Midwestern


Midwestern Region and SI Chicago They were intrigued by how a small


It has been said, “Friendship is one of the most valuable assets that we create in our lifetime. That is why people hold friends in such high regard.” My Soroptimist membership has made me a very rich person indeed, since it has given me a network of friends around the world. Each and every woman we serve and each and every Soroptimist I meet is a friend that I hold dear. Today some of my closest friends are women that I met through my Soroptimist travels and even though we may not see each other often, we know we will always be friends since we are united by a common mission. I cannot imagine my life without having had these gifts of friendship and the journey is far from finished! Sharon Fisher, President SIA


region has been very positive,” said Emma de Iturricha of SI Cochabamba, “the women of the community now have their own space for their classes and meetings. The classes offer the possibility of more income to improve the quality of the women’s lives.” The support continues to this day. At the 2008 Midwestern region conference, US$1500 was raised to support a programme to train women to become certified daycare providers. Bucur says, “The clubs in the Midwestern


SI Cochabamba course in painting ceramics TIS March 2011 Page 6


Region have supported projects in Cochabamba because we know that all of the money we send will be used to benefit women and girls. We also know that in a country like Bolivia, our dollars go a long way to helping women to achieve their dreams. If every club in SIA partnered with another club with less resources, just think of the difference we could make and the women we could empower!”


Friendship after repression In 1990, Danish Soroptimists started to send humanitarian aid to the exhausted citizens of Romania who had been isolated and suppressed through the many years of Ceausescu’s repressive regime. International President Hanne Jensbo


reports: “We found many well educated women, professors, doctors, nurses, administrative and business women, who were very eager to connect with Western Europe. In 1993 we chartered the first Soroptimist club in Craiova”. The Soroptimist humanitarian support


continued, but focused on programmes which changed attitudes, teaching and sharing the importance of democracy and human rights. “We arranged study tours for Soroptimists, teachers, nurses and students. Even when we the changes were not immediate, they were very attentive and changes gradually came. We also arranged trips between Denmark and Romania building mutual friendships”. Now, six new Soroptimist clubs have been


chartered and this year Timisoara and Cluj celebrate their 15th anniversary. Timisoara will be the ‘godmother’ club for the 8th Romanian club in Arad, to be chartered on 29 April 2011.


Members and friends: Si Denmark and SI Romania


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