SIPJ’sReportforSIROMAGM2016PROJECT:SEEEDJobsForLifeInlinewithGoal1:SoroptimistInternationalwillimprovethelivesandstatusofwomenandgirlsthroughEducation,EmpowermentorEnablingOpportunities,andObjective1,whichistoincreaseaccesstoformalandnon-formallearningopportunities,SIPJcompleteditspioneeringSEEEDJobsForLifeprogrammein2015.SEEEDJobsforLifestandsforSoroptimistsEducate,Empower,EnableDreamJobsForLife.Itisaprogrammeforyouthstosucceedinfindingtheirdreamvocation.Thiswasdesignedasauniqueopportunityforanyonewhomaybeunsureoftheircareer,howtostarttheirbusinessorhowtolandthatjob.This12-SaturdayprogrammewasconceptualisedandleadbyDato’AnushaSanthirasthipam,supportedbyacoreteamofSIPJmembers,includingSheelaChandran,SuriaZainal,JaniceKwok,KimFong,SharonWong,SheelaHariKrishnanandJoyceKee.Manymembersalsosupportedbyvolunteeringattheweeklysessions.Theprogrammebeganon7February2015with44participants.After8weeks,38completedCycle2and32completedCycle3.Altogether18participantssecuredjobsbetweenCycle2andCycle3.Asaresult,SEEEDwasselectedasoneofthetwoco-winnersofthegrandprizefortheSocialImpactInnovationChallengebyAgensiInovasiMalaysia.SIPJthenreceivedanamountofRM15,000courtesyofCreditSuisse.SIPJdecidedtousethefundsforphase2ofSEEEDJobsForLife,whichistoeditthevideosofthetalksduringphase1andpreparethemfore-learning.

On10December,SIPJreceivedaRM125,000fundingawardfor"DeliveringHighImpactSocialServicesAtLowCost"throughSEEEDJobsForLife.ThefundswillbedeployedtotackleYouthUnemploymentandCombatSocialIllsinPandamaranandKaparinSelangorthroughSEEEDJobsforLife2.

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Theawardwasgrantedbyapioneeringsocialpublic-privatepartnershipcomprisingofaconsortiumofpubliclistedcompaniescalledMalaysianCollaborativeImpactInitiative(MCII)supportedbyAgensiInovasiMalaysia.TheprojectwillbemonitoredbyThoughtsInGear,anindependentconsultancy.AnushaparticipatedintwodaysofCustomisedEffectivenessTrainingtomasterusageoftheSocialImpactMeasurementToolkitandthensharedthetrainingwithSIPJmemberson10January2016.SEEEDJobsForLife2beganwithanorientationandbridgingprogrammeon30January2016atSJKCPandamaranA,Klang,whiletheprogrammeproperbeganon13February.Graduationforthisprogrammewillbeon10April.PROJECT:SPOTAlsoundergoal1andobjective1,SIPJisdevelopingSPOT,whichstandsforSoroptimistPubertyOrganisingTool.ThisisaneducationalhealthprojectbroughtintoSIPJbyAishah,whoisitsprojectlead.Itsobjectiveistoeducatepre-pubescentgirlsonmenstruationandsexualhealthandistargetedtobringitsnine-hourprogrammeto50schoolsoverfiveyears.Afterapilotprogrammewascarriedoutin2015,train-the-trainer(TTT)documentationwasdevelopedbytheSPOTsub-committee,consistingofAishah,SheelaChandran,EmmaHarrisandKimFong.SIPJthencarriedouttwosessionsofTTT,thefirstofwhichwason31October,anditsthirdTTTsessionisplannedforSIKotaKinabalu(SIKK)inFebruary2016.SIKKhadappliedforaSIROMMySihatgrantofRM5000tocarryoutSPOTinKotaKinabalu,whichtheyreceived,andAishahwillbeworkingcloselywithSIKKonthis.

Aishah,withtheassistanceofPuanSriSiewYongGnanalingamandJoyceKee,hasbeenactivelyapplyingforgovernmentalfundingandsupportforSPOT.MySihathasagreedtogiveSPOTagrantofRM5000inprinciple.TheMinistryofHealthhasalsoagreedtosponsor5000SPOTdiaries.SPOThasreceivedanendorsementfromYBKhairyJamaluddin’soffice.SPOThasalsoreceivedapprovalfromtheMinistryofEducation.AnushahasalsosupportedSPOTviaadviceoftheprocedureforapplicationoftax-exemptionfundingfromYayasanSoroptimistMalaysia.SPOThasnowbeenapprovedunderYSMfortax-exemptionstatusandSIPJandYSMwillsetupajointbankaccounttoreceivefundsinthenearfuture.

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InDecember2015,SIDamansaracontributedseveralboxesofsanitarypadstoSPOT.On11-13January2016,Aishahconductedthefirstprogrammeof2016for130girlsatSKPulauIndah,PelabuhanKlang,withthesupportofSheelaChandranandEmmaHarris.SPOThassecuredfundingforfiveschoolsfromWestports(2schools),WongCM(Singapore),KLExpatGroupandRoselyna.FromSIPJmembers,SheelaChandran,KimFong(Gaea)andPhngLiKim(Kechara)havepledgedtosponsoroneschooleach,sofundingforatotalofeightschoolsisconfirmed.FloodReliefTriptoKuantanSIPJmembersSharonSaw,KimFong,EmmaHarris,andSheelaChandranwentonadaytriptoKuantanon31Maytovisitavillageaffectedbythefloods.SIPJboughttoothbrushes,toothpaste,nailclippersaswellasdryfooditemsfromfundsdonatedbytheMalaysianFinnishSociety.KimFongdonatedpantylinerssponsoredbyGaea.Thesewerealldistributedto32OrangAslifamiliesatKgOrangAsliPayaLintah,27000Jerantut,Pahang.ItwasanenlighteningtripandSIPJisgratefultoSIKuantanfororganisingthevisit.

AidforNepalSIPJinitiatedcontactwithSIKathmandutofindoutwhathappenedafterthedevastatingearthquakeandhowSIPJandSIROMcouldhelp.SIPJ’sHonTreasurerSharonWongheldasaleofherartworkfrom15May-15June,fromwhichshecontributedRM1500aspartofproceedstoSIPJ’sYouthAgainstSocialIllsfund.Atthatartsale,SharonSawheldasaleofNepaliartifactsandhandicraftstoraisefundsforNepal.Thevenueoftheevent,HanayuzenJapaneserestaurant,alsoheldasaleofbentoboxmealsforNepal.ThisraisedatotalofRM13,880forNepal’searthquakevictims.ThefundwasgivenviaSIROMtoSIKathmandutodispenseastheyseefit.SharonSawwenttoKathmandu(7-11Oct),onapersonaltriptogetherwithotherSIsistersfromPenang,IpohandBangsar,toseetheearthquakereliefefforts.SIPJmembersDrKamalaSiriney,KimFong,SharonWongandChristineKhawsponsoredmultivitamins,dewormingmedicationandpanadolsyrupfortheorphanagesandschoolswevisited.SharonSawmetwithSIKathmanduandattendedanSIKathmanduhealthtalk.Shealsoreceivedabriefingon

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howtheyspentthefundsraisedbySIROM.ItwasagreatbondingtripaswellasgoodopportunitytomeetwithSIKathmandu.

SharonSaworganizedanotherone-daysaleofNepaliartifactson21Novemberatherresidence,andraisedRM1,693whichwassubmittedtothe10thPresident’sAppeal.SIROM11thBiennialConference20-22MarchOver60SoroptimistsfromvariousclubsattendedtheSIROMBiennialConferenceinPenang.SiewYongwastheguestofhonourandgavetheopeningaddress.SharonSawandAnusharepresentedSIPJattheconference.

20thSIConventionatIstanbul9-12JulyFivemembersofSIPJattendedthe20thSIConventioninIstanbul9-12July:SiewYong,Anusha,SharonSaw,KimandJoyce.SiewYongwasalsothere inhercapacityastheorganizing chair for the 21st SI Conventionwhichwill be in Kuala Lumpur in 2019.SiewYong gave a lively presentation on the 2019 Convention,while Anusha gave apresentationonSIPJ’saward-winningSEEEDproject.Anushawasalsoamoderatoratoneofthepanelsonadvocacy.

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AllSIPJmembersvolunteeredat theboothpromoting the21stSIConvention for thedurationof the convention.After the convention, SharonSawpreparedanarticleoftheevent,whichwaspublishedintheAugustissueofthemagazine,FengShuiWorld.WalkTheTalk,5December201567SIPJmembersandfriends,includingtenSEEEDJobsForLifealumni,supportedandparticipatedat4thannualWalkTheTalk2015eventon5December2015.

SIAppointmentsAnushawasvotedinasthenewChairmanofYSMattheAGMheldon28March2015.AnushahasalsobeenelectedunopposedasPresidentElectforSISWP(2016-2018)andwilltakeofficeattheSydneyConferenceofClubsinApril2016.SharonSawwaselectedSIROMProgrammeConvenor/UNLiaisonattheSIROMBiennialConference,butchangedherportfoliotoSIROMICTConvenorinNovember.MembershipWeareverypleasedtohavewelcomedSheelaChandran,SheelaHariKrishnan,ChristineKhaw,CynthiaMartin,EmmaHarris,Aishah,JaniceKwok,whichbringsournumberofmembersto21.SharonSawPresident(2014-2016)