The AGM of National Association of Soroptimist International-India was held in Kolkatta in June. Four members from SIPME were present. The meeting drew a lot of enthusiasm as several pressing issues at the National level were to be discussed and debated. SIPME members were well prepared with their observations on Bye-law amendments and election criteria. Their inputs were appreciated and taken up. PAC Renu Bhardwaj had a crisp presentation for the PAC slot. She spoke of Project Aseema and Project Kilkari-the two new projects of SIPME.

SIPME contributed grains to Kayakalp a home for children of the sex workers. This project Fistful of Grain is part of the National project selected by the National Association of Soroptimist-India.

Kayakalp is part of the ASEEMA Project–where together with SIPME’s Friendship Link SI Dundee support is being extended towards a building in Bori where the children at Kayakalp will be relocated. This contribution is the third for Fistful of Grain.

SIPMEs formal education project began in 2015 and monetary support was provided to three girls for their education. It is our endeavour to reach out to those unfortunate girls who may have the will and the intelligence but lack of means and the opportunities.

A year later we have seen positive results and all three girls have performed well at their respective classes. SIPME is encouraged by this, and hope to support more number of girls in the next year.

We educate empower and enable women and girls to take charge of their lives and be responsible leaders for their actions. Members who were mentor proudly pose with the girls.

SIPME Founder President and current Membership Officer was successful in her bid for the Assistant Programme Director Post at Federation. She will be the first Indian to be elected to this post. At present she holds the post of Federation Friendship Link Coordinator which was also a first for Indian Soroptimists. Nisha will take over her new Assignment at the Malta Conference in Nov 2016. SIPME is proud of her and wishes her all the best for her new role.

Meanwhile she has also been elected as the NASI-India Programme Action Chairperson (2016-2018) a post she will assume at Mumbai at the end of November.

Member Nandita Mehta conducted a session for Girls Moving Forward-3 the ongoing project. The focus was food and nutrition. The women are all from the slums and very low income communities most of them illiterate or just semi-literate. Their knowledge and exposure to today’s thoughts on nutrition is limited and only through television. Their food habits are also fixed and staple.

First they were encourage to think of how nutrition effects the health, of a pregnant mother, her unborn child and later the growing child too.

Yasmin Jamadar, Treasurer of SI Pune Metro East, passed away quite suddenly and tragically on 17th August 2016. She was 61 years old.

Yasmin joined SI PME in 2013 and in a short period of 3 years contributed substantially to every project and all activity of the Club. She served as the Club Friendship Link Officer as well as represented the SIPME as the Club Rep at NASI meetings. Everyone felt she emerged as a Soroptimist par excellence.

An emotional condolence meeting was held to remember her, where members recalled her contribution to the club.

Under the focus area of Learning Opportunities SIPME started new sessions of the Spoken English Classes. Deep Griha one of SIPMEs partners for projects requested the classes for about 25 girls and young women at Ambedkar Vasti in Pune.

Convener Veena Chaturvedi and IPP Neerja Bajaj carried out the initial sessions. Most of the participants are from very low income group and some of the girls and women have never had any formal education. Their eagerness to learn is enthused SIPME to reach out to this group.

The new project KILKARI is in collaboration with Tara Mobile Creches - an NGO that works for the migrant labourers that work on construction sites. In a supportive role SI Pune Metro East provides a few learning skills to the children many who do not go to regular school. The members also meet with the women in one of the centres to listen to their problems and motivate them to cope with violence in the domestic front and make their lives more meaningful. The Club celebrated World Environment Day with this community, urging them to take interest in kitchen gardening, outside their huts. Plants were distributed to the women and beds prepared with old tyres. The women were given guidance on how to nurture the plants.

SI Pune Metro East continues to support Kayakalp - a home for the children of the commercial sex workers situated in the heart of the city's red light area. This project supports Director Seema's efforts at Kayakalp by providing useful items for the children and some of the thousands of sex workers in that area. On two occasions members of SI Pune Metro East donated clothes, bedlinen, utensils, and other articles. In June members visit the centre and food grains and cereals were also given for the children. This latter activity was part of the club's commitment of 4 food donations in the current year.

Communication skills - an important aspect of imparting life skills to young girls from underprivileged communities. This was undertaken by SI Pune Metro East as part of the Girls Moving Forward an ongoing project that addresses their needs through informal learning methods. Workshops are conducted by members themselves at the Deep Griha centre. The aim is to enable these young girls to overcome their social backwardness and be able to take up suitable jobs where communication skills are required.

To mark Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, some members of SI Pune Metro East visited Vishranti the hospital for terminally ill cancer patients, as also for those on chemotherapy cycles. This 15 bedded small but well maintained hospital is run by Care India Medical Society who have been rendering free service to cancer patients for more than 25 years. It was heartening to see the cleanliness and the care given to the patients comes completely free. President Anubha registered her support on SIPME’s behalf for the purchase of useful vials. This medication is given post chemotherapy when hemoglobin count in patients, goes down.

The Director of Care India Col Nyayapathi took the members around the 2 floors, while explaining the running of it.

At the end of January 2016 it was time for change of guard .The fourth EC committee of SIPME took over soon got down to orienting members on the plans ahead. Programme Action Chairperson Renu Bhardwaj conducted a session for the Project Conveners and EC members on the Project plans and on the celebration of UN days. The highlight of the session was her presentation on the Sustainable Development Goals and the Role of Advocacy for our Projects.

SI Pune Metro East combined their International Women’s Day (IWD) with bringing the focus on Modern Day Slavery. It was befitting that human trafficking was centre - stage as the theme of this year’s IWD was Gender Parity.

Two women who are working on MSD were honoured by SIPME on this day. Pam Cairns of SI Dundee spearheads the Seema Project in the red- light district of Pune She along with Soroptimists from SI Perth and Girl Guides from Scotland have worked tirelessly to raises funds by raising awareness of this global issue. Her work to raise awareness about human trafficking and street children was recognized . Seema Waghmode, Director of Kayakalpa has worked with CSWs for several years. Now she is determined to rescue and rehabilitate their children. Thus bringing them out of the environment to an alternate home in a different location. Both the women were honoured with citations and traditional shawls.

SIPME and SI Dundee have a Friendship Link and this day marked the formal start of their partnership for the Seema Project which SIPME for their work has named Project ASEEMA - (Limitless). The group of Soroptimists and Girl Guides from Scotland joined in for the event.

SIPME has pledged to raise awareness about MSD and provide support to Project ASEEMA.

A group of Soroptimists and Girl Guides from Scotland visited Pune and along with some SIPME members went to the Tara Mobile Creches(TMC) at their Kondwa Centre. The visitors observed the activities that the Centre organizes for the children and the community at large. They participated in the singing and played games with the children.

TMC is an NGO that works for the construction work community – who are largely migrant workers. They are displaced farmers, extremely unskilled and unlettered people who have moved from distant locations to where ever there is construction work. They live in squalid conditions and builders or contractors are not committed to their welfare. Because of the migratory nature of their lives, they are without proper identity papers and their children have no educations or medical facilities.

SIPME will undertake a larger project with TMC to look after several aspects of the community of almost 200 people at the Kondwa centre.

Four of the Scottish visitors currently in Pune braved a bumpy ride and scalding temperatures in auto rickshaws to see the SNAP project functioning. Anupama Sen, Project Convener along with President Anubha met the ladies at Tulapur and showed them the working of the unit, where 4 women from the village are gainfully employed. These women earn money on every sanitary napkin that they have been trained to make. As village women it is a change that they are employed doing something other than farming.

SIPME members marked the World Water Day by conducting activities at Emmanuelle Public School. PAC Renu Bhardwaj talked to a group of 25 students both boys and girls on conserving water. Advocating the importance of saving water in a world where water resources have reduced considerably was underlined.
A drawing competition with the theme of conservation was conducted and two of the members judged the entries. President Anubha gave away the prizes to the winners. VP Binita designed book marks for this event and distributed to the students.

Pratima Kapur is an author, artist, an army wife and a Soroptimist! SIPME were honored to be part of the book launch of her second book - Borrowed Plumes. With her writing skills, Pratima is an asset to SIPME.

Four members of SIPME accompanied Seema and Shirish Waghmode on a visit to Bori. This is a remote village some 3 hours away from Pune where the Waghmodes are building a home for rehabilitation of children of the commercial sex workers. In this endeavor they are assisted by Soroptimists and girl guides from Scotland. SIPME will partner with SI Dundee their Friendship Link for this project. The visit was a chance to see firsthand the progress of the home, meet the village head and officials and the villages and inquire into the planning of this project.

The Fun and Friendship component of Soroptimism keeps the bonding level high. It could be the birthday cake for member celebrating the month's birthday, greeting a member's grandchildren or simply enjoying the fellowship at a meeting - these moments add to our staying together. SI Pune Metro East makes every occasion special.

One Billion Rise is SIPME's awarding winning project on gender sensitization. The latest session on Understanding Gender was delivered by Barkha Bajaj and her AKs Team for the Cadets of Armed Forces Medical College. The session was attended by 150 students and some staff members at the college Lecture Hall.

Stranded in Chennai floods, SIPME members overwhelmed by Soroptimist friendship.

Three members of SIPME headed to Madurai via Chennai. On their return, Rita Nagpal, Yasmin Jamadar and Nisha Ghosh were caught in the downpour of Chennai. The record breaking rain and flood kept the three marooned for 8 days. Fortunately they were at Soroptimist Naina Shah's house who spared nothing to keep the three visitors well looked after. SIPME members were ever grateful to her and her family's generous gesture. Back in Pune SIPME members gave the flood survivors a warm welcome and thanks to the heavens.

SIPME's Medical Project at the twin villages of Tulapur and Phulgaon continues with camps held to address different medical issues of the villagers. An Eye camp was held with the doctors and cadets of the Armed forces Medical College examining more than 60 village patients. Advice was given for spectacles, and for possible eye surgery. Anupama Sen, Convener of the health project along with 5 SIPME members accompanied the visiting team to coordinate the examining process.

Under the series Women and Wellness a seminar was held on Holistic Healing. SIPME member Charu Mudholkar who is a holistic healer conducted the session involving the audience for a brief meditation spell. Another speaker veteran Media person talked on Food as Medicine. Moderated by Programme Action Chairperson Binita Sen, the programme was held at the Holistic Child Development Hall.

Girls Moving Forward (GMF) was conducted at Deep Griha an NGO that works with the low income. All the girls of very low income group live in one of the urban slums. For this second round of GMF twelve workshops spread over 12 months were planned. In December the final workshop was held for 25 girls. They were given tips on studying effectively and all received certificates of participation at the end.

This project focuses on non-formal education. Empowering girls with life skills is the goal of this project. Making them aware of social concerns and the need for education becomes important for them.

The team of Needlewomen made nearly 80 dresses from material donated by members. The dresses were then donated to Renutai's school in the city, which looks after children of the sex workers. SIPME members Yasmin and Rohini spent a morning with the children at the school premises. This is the third lot of dresses made by the Needlewomen.

Hundred reusable bags designed and stitched by the Needlewomen team were made on order for SI Liverpool and shipped to them.

The SIPME bags were also put on sale at Malacca Spice a popular restaurant that host sales for a cause. SIPME President Neerja and other members manned the stall in rotation.

The Project on Sanitary Napkins Advocacy was launched in March 2015. The project team continues to advocate menstrual hygiene and the use of low cost biodegradable napkins to women and girls in urban as well as slum regions. Anupama Sen the Project Convener has met girls in schools, women in slums, and generally communities where the importance of menstrual hygiene is low. Often girls end their education when they reach puberty as managing their menstruation is challenging. These napkins help to ease the situation and education can continue. The production of the napkins is on-going and provides monthly employment to 5 women at the the manufacturing unit in Tulapur village. The project covers the focus areas of health, economic empowerment, environment sustainability and education.

The National Association of Soroptimist International -India-set a task to all the Clubs to evolve activity around a project- 'Fistful of Grain.' This is to be the national project and Clubs can tailor the project to suit their local needs.

The goal of this National project is for clubs to look at the aspect of food security and focus on getting clubs collect a fistful of grain from schoolchildren and donate to any institution looking after the poor and the destitute. We at SIPME have decided that. SI Pune Metro East convened and decided that our members will donate for the cause and we will provide a fistful of grain to a local organization in need. It was decided that this grain donation will be conducted four times a year to a different organizations.

In September, members of SIPME went to Emanuel Public School. This school is run by Mr Bhakhtawar Singh and his family for underprivileged children of housemaids, security guards and construction workers. The students get a mid day meal totally dependent on sponsors. SIPME donated 30kgs rice and 8kgs tur daal as the first installment of NASI Project: A Fistful of Grain.

Marking World Literacy Day, members had a fun workshop with the children wherein they were taught Marble Painting and how to create a little garden using plastic bottles. Passages from our Late President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s book ‘Turning Points’ which is about his journey through challenges, were read out. The importance of education was reiterated and they were urged to follow their dreams.

In our continued effort to raise the profile of Soroptimist International and Environment Sustainability two of our members addressed members of IASAP (Indian Association of Secretaries and Administrative Professionals), 53 women administrative professionals in July 2015.

The ladies were informed about the work SIPME performs in and around Pune and the service we provide through our different projects to empower women and girls through informal education, healthcare, helping to eliminate violence and environmental sustainability.

Also, through an in-house created power point presentation on waste management, the ladies were carried through many informative and visual slides lasting around one and a half our hour. They were enlightened on the 3 R's i.e. Reduce, Reuse and Recyle, tips on how to save energy, paper, etc. in their day to day lives at home and at their offices, all types of waste management especially bio-degradable waste conversion into rich manure on an individual, home and community basis.

The session was interactive and well received with a question and answer session to conclude.

In the month of June - a typical Indian summer with typical SIPME bonding four members felicitated for their June birthdays - a fantastic gathering with superb Soroptimism. Rita Nagpal, Rohini Khare, Jennifer Kumar and Kiran Ambwani together cut a sparkling cake to add to the fun of the evening

The National Association of Soroptimist International - India (NASI) held its annual AGM and the EC meeting on 27th June in Pune. Hosted by SI Poona, the two day session covered different important points related to NASI as well as concerns of the individual Clubs in India. Programme Action took centre stage on Day 2 and PACs of all clubs read reports of their Club projects. Binita Sen PAC-SIPME presented details of the SNAP project.

Nisha Ghosh (SIPME) was asked to present her report on her visit to New York for the CSW-59. She made a powerpoint presentation. The 8 members from SIPME had an opportunity to participate in the fellow - ship with other Soroptimists. NASI President spent time with the 8 members to know more about the Club's activities. Nisha Ghosh made an informal presentation of the body of work and its achievements.

Anubha Ramgopal, SI Pune Metro East Vice President and a science educator at a High School is selected to be part of a group of educators from across the world to participate in a science workshop at NASA in Huntsville USA. The two week long visit takes educators into NASA centre and its simulation units. The purpose of the whole programme is to work on innovative ideas of science and astronomy which the educators could take back to their respective schools.

SIPME marked the day this year with two events.

The eco - friendly sanitary napkin of SIPME's SNAP project were distributed in Siddharth Nagar a low income community area. Anupama Sen the convener of the SNAP project, as a doctor propagated the use of these bio-degradable napkins to the women gathered and gave the napkins free of cost. Several members from the club were present to talk to the women and help them understand the benefits of the new napkins.

On the same day six members of SIPME joined a group of environment conscious citizens in the neighbourhood. They all had gathered to plant trees in an area, which was formerly very green but due to indiscriminate construction has become devoid of greenery. The local Corporator Nanda Lonkar was present to give her support. SIPME's gives a hand in re-forestation!

India made it's entry with the Soroptimist delegation at the Commission for the Status of Women - 59 in New York. Nisha Ghosh from SIPME and Naina Shah from SI Chennai Downtown joined the SIGBI delegation and also participated in one of the key event presented by Soroptimist International at the NGOs Forum. Nisha Ghosh's presentation was part of the Present but Invisible - It's time to Hear our Stories. Her focus was on domestic violence – a personal story interwoven with the present laws and the shortcomings within the system. Soroptimists have a huge presence and at this historic CSW their visibility was evident during the International Women's Day Walk and at various forums. On her return Nisha gave the club members a detailed presentation of the issues at CSW and the outcomes and of course the whole experience of being part of a global gathering of women. She was given a standing ovation by the club after her presentation.

SIPME's needlewomen kept the project alive. Both in the Bags Project of Needlewomen and in the Dresses Project there has been continued activity. Over the past few months more than 2 dozen dresses for girls of different ages were stitched. These gave temporary employment to a young seamstress, while the cutting and designing has been done by members of the needlewomen themselves. The last lot of dresses for girls was given to a centre in Budhwarpet for the children of the sex-workers. It is proposed to make another hundred so that we could give them to different centres. Members have contributed material and trimmings.

The Bags Project complete the production of 100 bags. This was on request from SI Liverpool. Rohini Khare the Convener of this project worked hard to complete the order and have the right colour for the logo printing. Made reusable bags are going places and a photo was sent from Amsterdam of a bicycle where a SIPME made bag was hanging. The bags were also taken to New York by Nisha Ghosh and presented to the 2 Clubs there.

The Sanitary Napkins Advocacy Project was launched at the Tulapur village with much fanfare. The women from the village selected for assisting in the manufacturing unit set up there have been trained and are on the job. Manufacturing of the low cost sanitary napkins has begun and samples given to women and girls in the village itself. There was a suggestion that these napkins should be sent as part of the relief for Nepal. Several extra napkins were made for that. Anupama Sen who heads the project has outlined a plan to reach the urban slum areas as also housemaids and begin an awareness drive there.

In an effort to boost the number of facilitators for the delivery of the One Billion Rise modules in School, SIPME held a training session for some 10 volunteers. Conducted by Jenny Kumar the Convener of the Project with inputs from Neerja Bajaj. Jenny gave an introduction to the project, the need of the hour in sensitizing school children to be aware of their safety, and understanding the gender issues. She also mentioned that sessions were conducted for both parents and educators to make a meaningful change. Volunteers trained must attend a session as observers and then conduct the sessions independently.

President Neerja and four other members of SI Pune Metro East attended the workshop and were given certificates for their participation. Organized by the Confederation of Indian Industry and Semaa (Stop Exploitation, Molestation Abuse and Assault), at the Kalmadi School Pune, the workshop aimed to look at the concerns of safety for children in Schools. It was ably moderated by Dr. Padmini Sundaram, with the legal framework explained by Advocate Vaishali Bhagwat, followed by case studies of actual incidents that have heightened the worry of both educators and parents. Jennifer Kumar Convenor of SIPME's One Billion Rise project shared details of the project. SIPME's partner in gender and discrimination matters AKS was represented by Director Barkha Bajaj .

SI Pune Metro East had its sixth Annual General Body Meeting in April 2015 at the China Grill Lounge. Secretary Renu read the minutes of the last AGM (2014) followed by the presentation of reports by the President, Secretary, PAC, Friendship Link Officer and Treasurer. Some of the new members were present and after the business of the AGM, they introduced themselves. Ann Rodgers senior member inaugurated the new projector - SIPME's first asset.

One of the most successful projects of the Club which began in 2010 ran through 12 sessions in 3 years was launched again with a slightly different structure. Season 2 as we like to call it has been specially designed on request for Deep Griha a grass root organization that works with the community. 20 girls attend the once a month session and learn a new skill or a new take home message. Subjects of the modules delivered vary from self-awareness to self - defence to craft and environment awareness. These sessions will continue for a year which is a commitment given. Conducted by SIPME's very own members, who draw out their own skills to engage the young girls and fill in the gaps in their practical skill knowledge as well as life skills. At the end of the complete routine certificates of participation will be given.

As part of our International Women's Day celebrations, SIPME inaugurated the SNAP Project on 15th March 2015. Seven women of Tulapur village are in this project. This is going to have a three pronged effect by educating the women about personal hygiene, empowering them towards economic independence and finally enabling them to run a small scale industry on their own. We have four members of SIPME overseeing this project which will run for a year. We will review its feasibility at the end of one year and thereafter would like to replicate the same in other rural areas.

Soroptimist International Pune Metro East celebrated the International Women's Day by organizing a Seminar - "Women and Wellness" to focus on the mental health issues of women. The purpose of this Seminar was to initiate a dialogue and sweep the dust from over this taboo topic of women and mental illness and trace the path of physiological development in women and how at every stage of life the mind can get affected. To discuss the socio - economic deterrents to positive mental health and to stress on the fact that: If you suffer from any of the symptoms, you are not alone and your situation is reversible with counselling and medical intervention. All you have to do is connect with a professional from the field and you will be on your way to recovery.
The event was attended by 10 men and 82 women participants from teens to senior citizens. The Convenor of the seminar was Binita Sen - PAC SIPME

Soroptimist International Pune Metro East marked five years of being part of Soroptimist International. President Neerja Bajaj welcomed members to a lively lunch gathering at a local Club. This time no speeches, no presentations, no guests, just wholesome fun, chat and good food. Games added to the upbeat mood and some reminisced about Jan 31st 2010 the day then Federation President Jackie Mosedale handed the Charter. The President and two past Presidents, together cut the anniversary cake.

Zarreen Babu, member from SI Kodaikanal visited SIPME, and joined in with us. An active member of her club she has done commendable work as PAC to lay the foundation of projects and give her club visibility.

Moved by the plight of a young girl displaced from her home and state due to unprecedented flood in the Kashmir Valley, Soroptimists of SI Pune Metro East responded by visiting their camp site. The girl is one of the 300 odd displaced persons who lost their home and hearth. She revealed that the children mostly students had lost their books and when and if they do return to the snowbound valley will find it difficult to pick up the thread of their education.

Post the floods these persons were relocated to a very basic camp site, and have lived on aid and kindness of others. Food was their immediate need.

SIPME members put together grains, cooking oil, vegetables and other food necessities and handed them over to the families.

Members of SIPME took time off to celebrate the success of the Club for its Event in October 2014 - 'Chords for a Cause', and also for the successful visit to Harrogate of 3 members. The One Billion Rise project on gender sensitization won the Best Practice Award along with 3 other Clubs in India, and together they went on to win the Overall Winners’ Trophy jointly with Clubs from the Republic of Ireland. The evening provided an opportunity for members bonding.

SI Freudenstadt has been a strong friend of SIPME from the pre charter days. The presence of four of their members at SIPME’s Charter renewed those bonds of friendship. On 19th Nov, Dorothee Schamlz their Founder President visited Pune and spent two fruitful days with the club members. Jennifer Kumar made a presentation of all our projects with special focus on One Billion Rise. She was then walked through the start and the growth of the Needlewoman Project. President Neerja presented her with bags from the Bags project. Dorothee experienced first hand the work Anupama Sen and her team were doing during the day trip to the Medical Outreach Project at Phulgaon village. She was also given a brief of the Sanitary Towels Awareness Project being put in place at the village. Later she met Suchitra Date and her dance students who had visited the Black Forest Region earlier this year.

President Neerja Bajaj and Secretary Renu Bhardwaj represented SIPME at the National Association Soroptimist International EC and AGM at Chennai from 29th Nov.

There was a change of guard at the meeting and a new NASI Committee took charge. NASI President Shreelata Narayanan welcomed SIGBI Vice President Ann Hodgson who was present on the occasion. The new team put forth their plan of action for the next two years and promised a healthy interaction between Clubs in India.