Federation (SIGBI) Programme Action Awards were introduced in 2003 to honour the excellent work done by Clubs throughout our Federation. There is one award-winner per Programme Objective, plus an overall winner.

• At the SIGBI Glasgow Conference 2015 - Nomination For Best Practice in Economic Empowerment
  
  At the Glasgow Conference 2015 yet again, SIPME received a nomination for Best Practice in Economic Empowerment for the Sanitary Napkins Advocacy Project. The project provides employment for 5 women in the village of Tulapur, where the project is based. They have been trained in the manufacturing of biodegradable low cost sanitary napkins at the unit set up by SIPME.
  
  SI Pune Metro East was also on stage along with 3 clubs from India for the combined presentation of the Gender Sensitization projects.




• At the SIGBI Harrogate Conference 2014 - Best Practice Award for One Billion Rise
  
  SIPME created a bit of a hat trick. For the fourth year running the Club earned nominations for Best Practice Awards. One of the nominations was for the Project Green Turn under the focus area of Environment Sustainability. The other nomination was for Gender Sensitization Project - One Billion Rise - under the focus area of Violence and Conflict Resolution. SIPME jointly won this award with 3 other clubs in India . The Gender sensitization projects were further honoured with the overall winner award shared with the mental health projects of Clubs in the Republic of Ireland.




• Newcastle-Gateshead Conference 2013 - Best Practice for Organic Farming
  

  This project was conceived to make children particularly girls aware about organic farming and using sustainable ways to revive the land and help green the environment. Without such education, farmers will sell their land and families will move away from farmlands, which will be bad for future generations.
  
  It is anticipated that a change in attitude by the children will lead to improvements in how the land is cared for. Follow up classes will keep the project alive for the school children.




• Belfast Conference 2012 - Runner up for Medical Outreach Project

  Besides being nominated for the Best Practice Award for Project Medical Outreach in the Food Security and Health category, SI Pune Metro East was asked to make a presentation on the project itself. Anupama Sen Convenor of the Project personally presented a film on the project.




• Brighton Conference 2011 - Runner up for Girls Moving Forward
  

  This project has been carefully thought out and well planned by the club and is aimed at young girls and women in the slums who are first generation learners. They have had some education and some will be going to school but they grow up in very deprived conditions and are unable to make use of their education. They get little help and guidance from the home as their parents are often ill educated and illiterate.
  
  The club decided the best way to help them was to provide them with life skills sessions. The sessions were on home budgeting and personal saving, grooming, anger management, health and nutrition, personal hygiene interpersonal relationships and first aid. These were to be followed was followed by craft classes. The project consists of a two day workshop of 6 sessions. The girls who took part responded well and two more Girls Moving Forward workshops were held in the first year.The fourth set of workshops was during the club's first anniversary celebrations. Soroptimist visitors from other clubs as well as overseas were there each of them leading a workshop. It was a wonderful experience of bonding and giving. The fifth set of workshops was held in August 2011.
  
  Because of the positive feedback from the girls who have gained confidence and skills, the club plan to run this project for three years and hold at least 4 workshops a year. It is successful mainly because the club work in partnership with friendship link clubs and local NGOs and also because all the sessions are conducted only by club members, who are putting their own skills to very good use.




• Manchester Conference 2010 - for Domestic Violence
  

  SI Pune Metro East decided to facilitate a workshop on domestic violence as part of the 4th Year student curriculum. This was held at the Tehmi Grant Institute of Nursing Education attached to Ruby Hall, a large well-known hospital in Pune. ASHA (Action for Self Reliance, Hope & Action), an NGO that works in conjunction with the local police at grassroots level, ran the course. Nurses are often the first point of contact for victims of domestic violence and need to be aware of the medical, social, psychological and legal aspects of the Domestic violence Act 2005. About 200 medical professionals and nursing students attended. Similar workshops are planned for the future.