Soroptimist International of Calcutta

Soro Sisters please do join

Revealing information on the 23rd SI Convention: to be hosted by SI Americas, in a CRUISE!! The Chair of the Convention is none other than SI IPP Sharon Fisher.

The launch of the Soroptimist International Foundation. Soroptimist International will no longer have a President’s Appeal, but all projects will continue as a part of the Foundation.

The new Soroptimist logo, revealed at the Dublin Convention

Snippets from SI Calcutta IPP Ayushi Kundu’s visit to the SI Dublin Convention in July, where SI Calcutta also got to show case their project Matri Rupen Samsthita via a poster presentation.

World Environment Day was celebrated by SI Calcutta by planting 10 trees around Ward 86 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation. This is part of our Programme Action Green Canopy and it was possible to carry out with the support and guidance of Councillor Ward 85 and MMIC Parks and Squares, Sri Debashish Kumar and Saurav Bose, Councillor Ward 86. Although ten trees were planted around the area, the actual ceremony took place in the pavement in front of Lake School for Girls. The members of the Club together with the President each took turn to water the plants in the presence of the dignitaries. Later a short introduction of the Club and its activities was given by the President with inputs from other members. The Convener of the Project elaborated on the theme of World Environment Day which is Beat Plastic Pollution. The dignitaries then proceeded to give us sound advice on the maintenance of the newly planted trees, encouraging us to reach out to the community by speaking to each household in front of whose house the trees were planted, in a one to one basis, driving home the importance of trees in our destroyed environment. The Club distributed water, sweets and lassi to all present.

On the 25th of May SI Calcutta held its AGM at which the new Board for 2023-2024 was installed.
The Executive Committee comprises Papia Mukherji President; Ayushi Kundu Bose IPP; Papia Sengupta Vice President; Meenakshi Ray Secretary, Prema Mitra Treasurer; Jaya Roy PAO; Soma Dasgupta OD &MO; Nupur Basu Friendship Link Officer; June Dutt and Enakshi Chattopadhyay Club Representatives; Piyali Ghose, Ilina Chanda and Chandana Basu Executive Committee members.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the previous team for their wonderful work and convey our best wishes to the new committee.

SIGBI Federation recommended every club select a day in the membership month May to celebrate their club members with the theme, a Day of Reflection. SI Calcutta went one step further; we included an element of hope in the theme by extending the invitation to attend the get together to ladies who have shown interest to join SI.
SI Calcutta chose 13 th May for celebrating the Membership Day. In the end , with our own members, numbering eighteen and 7 guest ladies, attended the meeting .
Two main aspects of SI were explained - the structure of the Soroptimist International was clearly drawn and the thrust of the program activities of the club aligned to the UN SDGs was explained. A discussion on roles of the different officers of the executive committee in building a healthy, robust club was put forth by some experienced members.
The invited ladies now introduced themselves.
A quiz designed to elicit ideas from members of different years’ club tenure was played. Thereafter as participants enjoyed the eats, and sipped hot tea, they also simultaneously played a game of BINGO. It was a wonderful evening of fellowship.

On 27th September, 2022, SI Calcutta launched one of its most ambitious projects yet, in partnership with Child in Need Institute (CINI):
“Matri Rupen Samsthita : Nourishing Mothers for Flourishing Babies”

Through this project, we can support a pregnant mother through the course of her pregnancy and eventual childbirth. For the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from the date of it’s conceiving to its second birthday, the child and its mother will be connected with health care facilities and provided proper nutrition, to ensure that the child reaches its optimum growth and development. The cost of supporting one mother and her child for a period of 1,000 days is only Rs. 15,000/- INR.

We are inviting our Soroptimist friends from across India and across the world to attend a very special webinar on 7th May, 2023, at 4.30 PM (Indian Standard Time)/ 12 Noon (British Standard Time). In this webinar, we will be sharing further details about our latest endeavour, and seek their support and assistance towards this programme. Please do join us to know more!! Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions!

Link to join the meeting:

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87260001506?pwd=dGhndkFwQU4zZzdGZGE2VStZTmJLQT09

On the 29th March 2023, SI Calcutta celebrated International Women’s Day in Partnership with Sujata Devi Vidya Mandir and NGO Sanlaap whose aim is to protect the human rights of women and girls.
SI Calcutta put SDVM in touch with Sanlaap to hold an awareness programme with their senior students and their mothers.
The programme commenced with the lighting of the lamp before the photo of Sujata Devi the founder of the school. It was the 75th Anniversary celebration of the School as well. This was followed by a prayer song and then an introduction by one of the teachers of the school who spoke about International Women’s Day and also the contribution of Sujata Devi towards women’s empowerment through education. A senior club member spoke about the significance of observing International Women’s Day. The stage was then taken over by Sanlaap.
Through an immensely engaging talk, accompanied by short animated documentary films on various forms of exploitation and abuse and how to avoid such risky situations, Sanlaap managed to make the young women in the audience speak up. It was an interesting, interactive and informative session.
A few members of SI Calcutta together with a few prospective members attended the event. The Club provided tea and snacks to the resource persons as well as the staff and student of the school who attended the function. SI Calcutta also had the fliers printed for distribution among the mothers and residents of the area as well as some brochures containing useful information on the protection of the girl child.
The programme was a highly successful and satisfying one.

On International Women's Day, we pledge to continue our efforts in building strong women!

Update on our newest project- Matri Rupen Samsthita (Nourishing Mothers for Flourishing Babies):

On 27th September, 2022 SI Calcutta kickstarted this project in partnership with CINI by adopting 4 mothers to support their pregnancy and child rearing journies.
Of the 4 mothers, 3 have delivered healthy babies over the course of December, 2022/January, 2023. The fourth mother is due soon.

On 14th February, 2023 members of SI Calcutta accompanied the SIGBI President Cathy Cottrigde and Programme Director Lindsay Green, who are now visiting SI Clubs in the Asian Cluster, for a field visit to meet the new mothers and other inhabitants of the village. We were able to witness the awareness programme being conducted by CINI healthworkers on ground.
We were also delighted to meet 2 of the 4 mothers we have adopted through this project, along with their newborn babies. Each baby was born with a healthy weight, and are now growing bigger and stronger. They are receiving the requisite vaccinations and other medical care, and will be breastfed for the first six months of their birth.

We are glad that we have been able to change the lives of these babies, their mothers, their families, and hopefully their communities.
For more news on this project, keep an eye on our page!

Soroptimist SIGBI

Soroptimist International of Calcutta had the honour of hosting SIGBI President Cathy Cottridge and SIGBI Programme Director Lindsay Green, along with SI South Kolkata, SI Burdwan and SI Purba Bardhaman in Kolkata from 12th-15th February, 2023.
The President and Programme Director are currently touring and meeting all clubs in the SIGBI Asian Cluster.

On 13th February, the 4 clubs got together to organise a formal meet and greet with the the President and Programme Director. The event included presentations made by all 4 clubs on their respective club projects, informal interactions with the President and Programme Director, and discussions on issues that affect us as Soroptimists. This was of course, followed by lunch.

We thank SIGBI President Cathy and Programme Director Lindsay for a fulfilling opportunity to meet and interact with them. Outside the UK, India has the highest number of clubs and members, thereby making a significant contribution to SIGBI each year. It is thus important that our efforts and concerns are acknowledged. Through this visit, we are lucky to have been able to have that chance! Here’s hoping for a more promising future.

Soroptimist SIGBI

SI Calcutta cordially welcomes SIGBI President Cathy Cottridge and SIGBI Programme Director Green to Kolkata. We look forward to a fulfilling experience over the course of their stay. 💐💐

Soroptimist SIGBI

SI Calcutta successfully carried out their Christmas Cheer project which is part of the Hold My Hand Project.
Bags of goodies were distributed among 27 children from VAAM and ISW. The beneficiaries are students whom some of the members have been teaching spoken English online ever since the pandemic broke out.
Each bag contained a story book, an exercise book with the SI Calcutta logo, a pencil pouch containing pens, erasers and a ruler. The children also received a bag of chips and a box of muffins.
A beautiful card designed by member Anuradha, also went with each bag. The books were selected by President Elect Papia, the bag and its contents were arranged by President Ayushi, the chips and muffins were organized by secretary Meenakshi.

Rice and pulses collected through food donation drive by Ernst and Young was donated to Nari Seva Sangha, one of the beneficiary organizations, by SI Calcutta.
Member Nayani collected the grains and had them delivered to NSS, where it was distributed by President Ayushi

SI Calcutta observed the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which is an annual global campaign that starts off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women and children and runs through to December 10, Human Rights Day, by designing badges and cards carrying the message and distributing these to raise awareness of the campaign.
The distribution was done in phases.
In the first phase the badges were distributed to the SI members who attended the NASI EC and General Assembly between 26th and 27th November. Some 75 badges were given out here.
In the next phase, badges and cards were distributed to the students and faculty of Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata

In the third phase an awareness creation event was organized at the behest of Dr. Achina Kundu, chairperson, Internal Grievance Cell of Jogesh Chandra Choudhuri Law College, with SI of Calcutta.
Talks on the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, violence against women and children, Human Rights and legal issues were delivered by the Principal of the College and faculty, Dr. Achina Kundu, member, PP SI Calcutta, IPP NASI of India, Ms. Ayushi Kundu President SI Calcutta and Ms. Papia Mukherji President-Elect and Communication Officer SI Calcutta.
The interaction with the students that followed was most encouraging and interesting. Badges and cards were distributed after the talk.
The next distribution of badges to create awareness was at the Society 5’O’ Christmas Carnival held on the 9th of December. They were distributed to members of the NGOs who participated in the carnival.

This year SI Calcutta celebrated Sharadananda (joy of Durga Puja festivities) by putting together a small library consisting of a cabinet, books and puzzles for children aged between five and ten, and colourful mats, at Sujata Devi Vidya Mandir. The library was presented to the school on Children’s Day, commemorating Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s birth anniversary.
Needless to say, the children, as well as their teachers and the Principal of the school were very appreciative of the initiative. The occasion was celebrated by the Principal together with some of the teachers with songs, dance and recitation to entertain the children. The Principal as well as some of the SI Club members spoke to the children about Pt. Nehru (Chacha Nehru, as children call him), and about the joy of reading as well as taking care of books.

SI Calcutta celebrated its 43rd Charter Anniversary on the 30th of October at the residence of member Nupur Basu who generously opened up her beautiful home to us

It was an evening of camaraderie, fun and fellowship, to celebrate our 43rd Charter Day, Bijaya and Diwali.

The events of the evening were

1.Guess the Member by Dumb Charade. Which was fun and brought out the acting potential in some of our members!

2.TAMBOLA played for two rounds, each round being played for Rs 100 and four prize winners per round.

3. Phuchka Eating Competition: Can the cycle of a Bengali’s life ever be complete without the ultimate sweet and tangy, spicy and crunchy mini globes - PHUCHKA??
Members were timed as they finished a plate of phuchkas with two prizes being offered.

4. NAUGHTY BINODINI: Members were asked to come dressed in fun, traditional casuals and be judged as the Best Dressed Naughty member!

5. GRAND SIC AUCTION of items donated by the members. It was great fun with members trying to outbid one another!
It all ended with a sumptuous high tea.

This was a memorable Charter Anniversary conceptualized as a fun evening with fund raising by our vivacious and active, young President Ayushi and helped by various members, both senior and not so senior.
A whopping Rs. 15,120 was raised through all the fun and games. The proceeds will be going to our newest project: Matri Rupen Samsthita - Nourishing Mothers for Flourishing Babies.

Please do not forget to join us this evening!

On 27th September, 2022, SI Calcutta launched one of its most ambitious projects yet, in partnership with Child in Need Institute (CINI):
“Matri Rupen Samsthita : Nourishing Mothers for Flourishing Babies”

Through this project, we can support a pregnant mother through the course of her pregnancy and eventual childbirth. For the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from the date of it’s conceiving to its second birthday, the child and its mother will be connected with health care facilities and provided proper nutrition, to ensure that the child reaches its optimum growth and development. The cost of supporting one mother and her child for a period of 1,000 days is only Rs. 15,000/- INR.

We are inviting our Soroptimist friends from across India and across the world to attend a very special webinar on 29th October, 2022, at 7.30 PM (Indian Standard Time). In this webinar, we will be sharing further details about our latest endeavour, and seek their support and assistance towards this programme. Please do join us to know more!! Do not hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions!

Link to join the meeting:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83129510213?pwd=c0ZTS3o5TVNzdFcwVHhVOFRadDVHZz09



Soroptimist SIGBI Child In Need Institute (CINI) Soroptimist International India

Today we commemorate our 43rd Charter Day and celebrate the illustrious journey we have had so far, hoping to change many more lives in the future! 💙💛💙

Read a message from SI President Maureen Maguire regarding the current situation within Iran and Sudan:
https://www.soroptimistinternational.org/si-president2/