Soroptimist International Region of Malaysia

Gala Nite Speech

Ladies and Gentlemen, Honoured guests. As you can see, we do not have a Guest of Honour but many Guests of Honour as all of you are indeed our very honoured guests. So first of all, let me extend a very warm welcome to this SIROM Charity Gala Night held in conjunction with our 6th Biennial Conference.

Traditionally the main objective of the Gala Dinner held at the end of the conference is to witness the handing over of the chain of office of the President. However, we felt it would be a good idea to also use the occasion to raise funds for a very worthy cause.

Malaysians and most of our S.I. members living in this part of the world do not know what war is as we are so fortunate to live in a region where there is peace and harmony. Imagine, women in Afghanistan, Rwanda, Bosnia who have been subjected to brutal rapes, assaults and humiliation by combatant troops in wars they don’t even understand. The war may end and some may be lucky to survive. But their struggle carries on. They suffer psychological trauma, permanent physical injury and long term health risks like HIV/AIDS. Many are displaced and separated from their family members and have lost their means of survival.

The Soroptimist International 2003-2007 Quadrennial project named, “Project Independence Women Survivors of War” seek to assist these women who have survived the war. The project will help provide financial aid to displaced women, provide jobs and leadership skills training and raise awareness of women’s rights, family issues and health care. A Microcredit Lending programme offers the women a loan to carry out small business on completion of their training.

You will agree with me that Project Independence is so worthy of support.

As a Soroptimist I am proud to belong to an organization that cares and does wonderful work for these victims of war. Four years ago, it was for those who have lost their limbs as a result of land mines under the project “Limbs for Life” and now for Women Survivors of War. SIROM has also helped raise money for SI Limbs for Life project.

We are a very fortunate also that we have very caring people who are so spontaneous in helping the poor, the handicapped and recently the victims of tsunami. Malaysia was affected but not as badly as some other areas like Bandar Acheh, Sri Lanka, India and Maldives. Malaysia and the world responded so quickly to help the victims. In the case of SIROM, we would be contributing 1/3 of tonight’s proceeds to a SIROM project for survivors of the tsunami that hit Kampung Kuala Muda in Kedah. Even SISWP responded very quickly by contributing AUD1,000 as immediate aid to countries with SI Clubs including Malaysia. We thank SISWP for your contribution.

Sometimes we may feel there is so little we can do to help. Yet whatever little we do, means so much to these survivors. So I would like to thank each and every one of you, in particular our sponsors who have come forward so generously with a donation or supported our fund-raising dinner tonight. Please know your contributions will go a long way to help these people.

To know that we are able to touch someone’s life so far away is an amazing feeling and the recent tsunami disaster showed no matter who is affected and where they are from, hands stretched out across the world to give freely and generously.

At this point, I would like to take this opportunity to also thank my organizing committee for their tremendous effort in making this night a success. In particular, I would like to thank the SI Shah Alam Club ably led by Irene Xavier for putting this together, Puan Sri Czarina for getting most of the major sponsors, Mrs Joanne Fernandez for getting her FIABCI member friends to make cash donations, Jasbir who used her charm and persuasive power to help sell some tables. I would also like to thank our MC, Gulnaz for providing her services for free and to the wonderful artists for providing us their entertainment at minimal fees. To the Palm Garden Hotel staff, in particular Puspa, for their wonderful cooperation and assistance in ensuring everything went smoothly, since yesterday. They came through despite our demands.

Before I leave the stage, I would like to leave you with this thought on the propose of life by Albert Einstein. He said” It is plain that we exist for our followmen - in the first place for those whose smiles and welfare our happiness depends and next for all those unknown to us personally but to whose destine we are bound by the tie of sympathy”.

Thank you everyone and enjoy the rest of the evening.