SIPJ s Report for SIROM AGM 2016 PROJECT: SEEED JobsForLife In line with Goal 1: Soroptimist International will improve the lives and status of women and girls through Education, Empowerment or Enabling Opportunities, and Objective 1, which is to increase access to formal and non-formal learning opportunities, SIPJ completed its pioneering SEEED JobsForLife programme in 2015. SEEED Jobs for Life stands for Soroptimists Educate, Empower, Enable Dream Jobs For Life. It is a programme for youths to succeed in finding their dream vocation. This was designed as a unique opportunity for anyone who may be unsure of their career, how to start their business or how to land that job. This 12-Saturday programme was conceptualised and lead by Dato Anusha Santhirasthipam, supported by a core team of SIPJ members, including Sheela Chandran, Suria Zainal, Janice Kwok, Kim Fong, Sharon Wong, Sheela Hari Krishnan and Joyce Kee. Many members also supported by volunteering at the weekly sessions. The programme began on 7 February 2015 with 44 participants. After 8 weeks, 38 completed Cycle 2 and 32 completed Cycle 3. Altogether 18 participants secured jobs between Cycle 2 and Cycle 3. As a result, SEEED was selected as one of the two co-winners of the grand prize for the Social Impact Innovation Challenge by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia. SIPJ then received an amount of RM15,000 courtesy of Credit Suisse. SIPJ decided to use the funds for phase 2 of SEEED Jobs For Life, which is to edit the videos of the talks during phase 1 and prepare them for e-learning. On 10 December, SIPJ received a RM125,000 funding award for "Delivering High Impact Social Services At Low Cost" through SEEED JobsForLife. The funds will be deployed to tackle Youth Unemployment and Combat Social Ills in Pandamaran and Kapar in Selangor through SEEED Jobs for Life 2.
The award was granted by a pioneering social public-private partnership comprising of a consortium of public listed companies called Malaysian Collaborative Impact Initiative (MCII) supported by Agensi Inovasi Malaysia. The project will be monitored by Thoughts In Gear, an independent consultancy. Anusha participated in two days of Customised Effectiveness Training to master usage of the Social Impact Measurement Toolkit and then shared the training with SIPJ members on 10 January 2016. SEEED JobsForLife 2 began with an orientation and bridging programme on 30 January 2016 at SJKC Pandamaran A, Klang, while the programme proper began on 13 February. Graduation for this programme will be on 10 April. PROJECT: SPOT Also under goal 1 and objective 1, SIPJ is developing SPOT, which stands for Soroptimist Puberty Organising Tool. This is an educational health project brought into SIPJ by Aishah, who is its project lead. Its objective is to educate pre-pubescent girls on menstruation and sexual health and is targeted to bring its nine-hour programme to 50 schools over five years. After a pilot programme was carried out in 2015, train-the-trainer (TTT) documentation was developed by the SPOT sub-committee, consisting of Aishah, Sheela Chandran, Emma Harris and Kim Fong. SIPJ then carried out two sessions of TTT, the first of which was on 31 October, and its third TTT session is planned for SI Kota Kinabalu (SIKK) in February 2016. SI KK had applied for a SIROM MySihat grant of RM5000 to carry out SPOT in Kota Kinabalu, which they received, and Aishah will be working closely with SIKK on this. Aishah, with the assistance of Puan Sri Siew Yong Gnanalingam and Joyce Kee, has been actively applying for governmental funding and support for SPOT. MySihat has agreed to give SPOT a grant of RM5000 in principle. The Ministry of Health has also agreed to sponsor 5000 SPOT diaries. SPOT has received an endorsement from YB Khairy Jamaluddin s office. SPOT has also received approval from the Ministry of Education. Anusha has also supported SPOT via advice of the procedure for application of tax-exemption funding from Yayasan Soroptimist Malaysia. SPOT has now been approved under YSM for taxexemption status and SIPJ and YSM will set up a joint bank account to receive funds in the near future. 2
In December 2015, SI Damansara contributed several boxes of sanitary pads to SPOT. On 11-13 January 2016, Aishah conducted the first programme of 2016 for 130 girls at SK Pulau Indah, Pelabuhan Klang, with the support of Sheela Chandran and Emma Harris. SPOT has secured funding for five schools from Westports (2 schools), Wong CM (Singapore), KL Expat Group and Roselyna. From SIPJ members, Sheela Chandran, Kim Fong (Gaea) and Phng Li Kim (Kechara) have pledged to sponsor one school each, so funding for a total of eight schools is confirmed. Flood Relief Trip to Kuantan SIPJ members Sharon Saw, Kim Fong, Emma Harris, and Sheela Chandran went on a day trip to Kuantan on 31 May to visit a village affected by the floods. SIPJ bought toothbrushes, toothpaste, nail clippers as well as dry food items from funds donated by the Malaysian Finnish Society. Kim Fong donated panty liners sponsored by Gaea. These were all distributed to 32 Orang Asli families at Kg Orang Asli Paya Lintah, 27000 Jerantut, Pahang. It was an enlightening trip and SIPJ is grateful to SI Kuantan for organising the visit. Aid for Nepal SIPJ initiated contact with SI Kathmandu to find out what happened after the devastating earthquake and how SIPJ and SIROM could help. SIPJ s Hon Treasurer Sharon Wong held a sale of her artwork from 15 May-15 June, from which she contributed RM1500 as part of proceeds to SIPJ s Youth Against Social Ills fund. At that art sale, Sharon Saw held a sale of Nepali artifacts and handicrafts to raise funds for Nepal. The venue of the event, Hanayuzen Japanese restaurant, also held a sale of bento box meals for Nepal. This raised a total of RM13,880 for Nepal s earthquake victims. The fund was given via SIROM to SI Kathmandu to dispense as they see fit. Sharon Saw went to Kathmandu (7-11 Oct), on a personal trip together with other SI sisters from Penang, Ipoh and Bangsar, to see the earthquake relief efforts. SIPJ members Dr Kamala Siriney, Kim Fong, Sharon Wong and Christine Khaw sponsored multivitamins, deworming medication and panadol syrup for the orphanages and schools we visited. Sharon Saw met with SI Kathmandu and attended an SI Kathmandu health talk. She also received a briefing on 3
how they spent the funds raised by SIROM. It was a great bonding trip as well as good opportunity to meet with SI Kathmandu. Sharon Saw organized another one-day sale of Nepali artifacts on 21 November at her residence, and raised RM1,693 which was submitted to the 10th President s Appeal. SIROM 11 th Biennial Conference 20-22 March Over 60 Soroptimists from various clubs attended the SIROM Biennial Conference in Penang. Siew Yong was the guest of honour and gave the opening address. Sharon Saw and Anusha represented SIPJ at the conference. 20 th SI Convention at Istanbul 9-12 July Five members of SIPJ attended the 20 th SI Convention in Istanbul 9-12 July: Siew Yong, Anusha, Sharon Saw, Kim and Joyce. Siew Yong was also there in her capacity as the organizing chair for the 21 st SI Convention which will be in Kuala Lumpur in 2019. Siew Yong gave a lively presentation on the 2019 Convention, while Anusha gave a presentation on SIPJ s award-winning SEEED project. Anusha was also a moderator at one of the panels on advocacy. 4
All SIPJ members volunteered at the booth promoting the 21 st SI Convention for the duration of the convention. After the convention, Sharon Saw prepared an article of the event, which was published in the August issue of the magazine, Feng Shui World. Walk The Talk, 5 December 2015 67 SIPJ members and friends, including ten SEEED JobsForLife alumni, supported and participated at 4 th annual Walk The Talk 2015 event on 5 December 2015. SI Appointments Anusha was voted in as the new Chairman of YSM at the AGM held on 28 March 2015. Anusha has also been elected unopposed as President Elect for SISWP (2016-2018) and will take office at the Sydney Conference of Clubs in April 2016. Sharon Saw was elected SIROM Programme Convenor /UN Liaison at the SIROM Biennial Conference, but changed her portfolio to SIROM ICT Convenor in November. Membership We are very pleased to have welcomed Sheela Chandran, Sheela Hari Krishnan, Christine Khaw, Cynthia Martin, Emma Harris, Aishah, Janice Kwok, which brings our number of members to 21. Sharon Saw President (2014-2016) 5