Soroptimist Malta celebrates 25 years

It is 25 years since Soroptimist International Malta (SI Malta) came into being, and as such it is a time for reflection and renewal!  As we celebrate it is a time to look back at any achievements, in the light of our rationale and mission.

SI Malta is a women’s NGO working to improve the lives of women and children both locally and abroad.  We are a small group so we focus our efforts by networking with different local charities in line with our mission to Educate, Empower and Enable. Besides working locally, SI Malta contributes financially to help overseas projects that are carried out all over the World.

Globally we still need to visualize a world where equal work provides equal pay; where respect in the home, at work, and in the community provides a violence free world; where education is freely available for both girls and boys and where legislation protects human dignity of all.

Although in Malta, we take most of this for granted, there are many who still suffer. Locally, there are still women and children who suffer abuse and violence in their own homes. Awareness is increasing but it is not easy to find the empowerment or to find the courage to stand up for such situations. Local NGOs have done a lot to help such families but there is only so much that can be done with limited funds and resources.

During this, our anniversary year, our members have tried to refocus on our mission and have undertaken a project to provide an Olive Grove for a local refuge.  The creation of such an area, provides not only a place of peace and relaxation for residents during their stay but it also helps to provide some income – harvesting olives for use in the refuge, selling the surplus on and producing oil – by doing this we hope to help those who need that encouragement to begin to rebuild their lives.

Over the last 25 years we, as a club, have tried to help others, raising awareness on health issues such as Breast Cancer; encouraging young people to think beyond the ‘here and now’ and to aspire to be the adults they want to be, playing their part in society and taking control of their lives.   We have tried to work within the parameters of the UN Sustainable goals advocating and raising awareness in matters such as global warming and water conservation.   

We have supported Soroptimist International initiatives abroad, raising funds so that in developing countries girls may receive the education they deserve, mothers can give birth safely even if they live in the ‘Bush’; solar power can be harnessed to provide for cooking and heating and wells can be dug so that villages have a ready supply of water.

We continually network so that we can extend our influence more effectively and often we are asked to provide for those families who find themselves in crisis have urgent need.  We have supported disability groups by responding to the needs they have as new projects are undertaken.

All this is done quietly and we never really know the impact we have but as a club, members of Soroptimist International Malta do truly believe they can make some difference to the lives of those less fortunate – in the words of Mother Theresa ‘ we can do no great things but small things with love’.

Find out more about our organization on sigbi.org and like our Facebook page: Soroptimist International Malta