Soroptimist International South Africa

Newsletters
February 2012
June 2011
Meetings
When: Third Tuesday of every month

Where: Currently at the homes of members

Time: 18:00
Contact details
Email:
soroptimist.pretoria@gmail.com
Postal address:
21 Botanica, 0184 BRUMMERIA, Pretoria
SI Pretoria Office bearers
President:
Janétje van der Merwe
012 804 7458 (w/h)
082 903 1178
janet@minceka.co.za
Secretary:
Cecilia Penzhorn
083 457 4336
Cecilia.penzhorn@up.ac.za
President Elect:
Anna Boshoff
Vice President:
Wendy Hartman
Hon Treasurer:
Amelia Sequeira
Programme Action Officer:
Anna Boshoff
Membership Officer:
Marina Ferguson
Press and Publicity Officer:
Monica Faye
Friendship Links:
Audhild Rosberg
Fundraising:
Vivienne Ghyoot
International Goodwill and Understanding:
Anne-Claire Leprivey

Club focus

Soroptimist International Pretoria club was chartered on 30 July 1974 and its work focuses on membership recruitment and retention, involvement of members in club activities and club functioning.

Projects

Mapula Embroidery Project

This flagship project was launched in 1991 in the Winterveld, North West province, as an income-generating art project. Over the years it has developed as a well-established, quality-driven embroidery project for and with disadvantaged rural women.

Presently, a total of about 150 women participate in this internationally acclaimed project. Highlights include the launch of Brenda Schahmann's book 'Mapula - Embroidery and Empowerment in the Winterveld'; a request from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Johannesburg for embroidered articles; and substantial orders from our friendship links in Germany and Denmark.

Tateni Home Care Nursing Services Mamelodi

Tateni provides home-based care for the chronically and terminally ill (currently between 450 and 500 patients at a time), looks after HIV/Aids orphans and provides food to children at drop-in centres (about 180 children) and food parcels to the needy (80 to 100 people).

The club assists two girl child-headed households, by paying their school fees. A member of one such family has been assisted by the club to train in a secretarial and bookkeeping course, which led to an opportunity of permanent employment.

Much appreciated sustained financial support continued to be donated by the SI Taunus Club in Germany to fund items such as groceries, transport and furniture as required.

Irene Homes for Women with Mental Disabilities, Centurion

The club supports Irene Homes on an ad hoc basis and the members do an annual Big Walk with the residents.

SOS Children's Village Mamelodi

The club supports House No. 1 of the SOS Children's Village with funds and plans to respond to the request for educational support.

Trafficking

The club is building awareness about the trafficking of women and children and intends supporting agencies working towards combating this vice.

SI Pretoria held a successful membership drive luncheon, combined with a PR and marketing drive at the home of Soroptimist Vivienne Ghyoot on 29 May 2010. From the left are Phoebe van der Walt, Soroptimist Hannah Yilma, Carol Nuga and SISA President-Elect Sally Currin in conversation during lunch.	At the membership drive luncheon on 29 May 2010, Club President, Janétje van der Merwe congratulates Hannah Yilma, the winner of a raffle which had as prize a bag embroidered by the women of the Mapula Embroidery Project in the Winterveld.
Members and prospective members were invited to visit one of the Club projects, the Mapula Embroiderers (Group 3) in Hammanskraal. Pictured here are the Coordinator of Mapula Group 3, Bertha Rengane (left) and Maria Rengane in front of Mapula hand embroidered wall hangings.	The women of the Mapula Embroidery Project embroidered this wall hanging, depicting the funeral of Mirriam Makeba, well-known South African singer and activist and the women's heroine.
President of the USA, Barack Obama looking at a Mapula cloth in the White House, depicting him and his family at his Presidential inauguration.	Jacqueline Kronenburg, President-Elect of SI Ede in The Netherlands, presents Soroptomist Regina Mokgokong, CEO of Tateni, with a financial contribution towards the funding of home-based carers/HIV AIDS project, Tateni in Mamelodi, East of Pretoria, during our visit on 17 July 2010 to the Mapula Embroiderers.
On 17 July 2010 our Club celebrated Mandela Day by visiting the members of the Mapula Embroidery Project in Hammanskraal and the Winterveld. Soroptimists took children's clothes, sweets, fruit, cool drinks and eats and shared it with the members of the Mapula Embroidery Project and their children. A great day was had by all. Soroptimist President Elect of SI Ede in Holland, Jacqueline Kronenburg and her family, accompanied members and prospective members on this visit.	On 21 September 2010, Soroptimist Yvonne Good (left) visited Jacqueline Kronenburg (right) President-Elect SI Ede in the Netherlands and received a donation of €500 from SI Ede in support of Tateni's home-based carers. Thank you SI Ede!