Scholarship holder 2022
a doctoral student from Sudan
We support women: SI scholarship for a Sudanese female scientist
As a global organization, we work at the local, national and international levels to concretely improve the rights and living situations of women and girls. In this regard, a central concern of SI International is to promote educational programs for women at a global level to improve their status, autonomy and agency.
With this in mind, we are particularly pleased to be able to award the SI Scholarship of the Year 2021 to a young, dedicated female scholar in Sudan to support her academic education.
Due to the problematic political situation in the country, the SI Club München-Schwabing has decided to briefly describe the commitment and goals of our scholarship recipient in this context, but to keep her more detailed data anonymous until further notice.
Although a significant turnaround in Sudan was announced in 2019 with the overcoming of the 30-year military regime, the hopeful democracy efforts were set back by a renewed military coup at the end of 2021.
In particular for Sudanese women, this is a bitter blow, as Islamic Sharia law has had a dramatic impact on their lives over the past decades. They suffer from early marriage, polygamy, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sexual violence by police and the national security services. (See Amnesty International report).
Furthermore, according to UNICEF, 49 percent of girls and young women in Sudan are excluded from basic education; see, e.g., UNICEF's Report on Women's Education in Sudan. Dismissals of many women from working in education and bans on work, e.g., in petty trade, contribute massively to their economic exclusion.
Despite these difficulties existing on many levels, through strength, commitment and perseverance, our scholarship recipient was able to successfully complete her studies in 2013 with a master's degree in archaeology at the universities of Dongola, Al Nilein and Khartoum and subsequently take up a position as curator at the Sudan National Museum. She also accompanies foreign missions on international excavations as an inspector for the National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums Sudan.
The great dream of our scholarship holder is to advance and complete her doctorate in archaeology at the University of Khartoum - a step that is urgently needed for her professional future.
Especially in Sudan, archaeology is not only an important field of work. It also represents an important component within diplomatic, political and cultural relations on an international level (see, for example, Sudan's UNESCO World Heritage Sites).
Despite its potential, this field of occupation, is only one example of many in which women in Sudan face significant obstacles to achieving a higher level of education. For example, scholarships are awarded primarily to male colleagues.
By covering the tuition fees of the University of Khartoum as well as the English courses at the British Council Khartoum, the SI Club München-Schwabing would like to support our scholarship holder on her professional way.
Our scholarship holder, whom we wish all the best for the realization of her goals, has accepted the support of the SI Club München-Schwabing with great pleasure.
SI Club Munich- Schwabing supports homeless women in Munich
Open Day Centre otto&rosi of AWO München City East
otto&rosi is an open day centre for homeless people or
people threatened by homelessness.
The service is aimed at single adult women and men. The visitors of the day centre are in a difficult situation in their lives. The day centre offers them a place of retreat, but also the opportunity to receive counselling. There are shower facilities, the opportunity to do laundry and cook, as well as lockers for personal documents.
Of particular note is a women-only common room, for which we as a club made a donation.
The room gives the women the opportunity to find peace from the hard everyday life on the street. Women living on the streets are usually exposed to even more additional burden of risks than men. This means an additional burden.
With its donation, the SI Club München-Schwabing has made it possible to refurbish the women's lounge. As Soroptimists, we want to stand up for the needs of all women, but especially for women in difficult life situations.
Wir fördern Frauen
SID Scholarship for Su Myat Oo
SID Scholarship Holder 2020
Soroptimist International is a global organisation that works to promote the rights and improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and internationally.
Su Myat Oo is a woman who supports girls and women whenever she can. As the representative of the Artemed Foundation in the Irrawaddy Delta Myanmar, she has a great responsibility. She teaches the medical team of the hospital ship, organises refresher trainings for local midwives, keeps close contact with the local authority and much more.
She has started a master's degree in business administration at the international Geneva Business School at the same time in order to be able to manage these tasks better.
In the future, a mother-child centre is to be established in the Irrawaddy Delta by the Artemed Stiftung, which our scholarship holder will run as a social enterprise.
We from the SI Club Munich-Schwabing congratulate our candidate for the SI Scholarship 2020! It is a recognition of her tireless work for the people of the Irrawaddy Delta in Myanmar and for her personal achievement in her Master's studies.
Support in times of Corona
Food parcels for the 'Hasenbergl’
In cooperation with "Lichtblick Hasenbergl”
Food parcels for the 'Hasenbergl’
Especially in times of crisis like the Corona lockdown, the club sisters of SI Club München-Schwabing feel committed to their goals and values.
For years, SI Munich-Schwabing has been in contact with the "Lichtblick Hasenbergl", a child and youth welfare institution of the Catholic Youth Welfare Munich, which is dedicated to supporting children and families in the quarter of Hasenbergl. Numerous leisure activities have been organised in the past, such as visits to the "Theatre for Children" or a sailing trip on Lake Chiemsee.
In the special situation of the lockdown, the Club Sisters have supported families cared for by the facility with food parcels. Due to the gap in food supply caused by the closure of the "Tafeln" (free food supply) and child care, many families found themselves in a financial emergency situation, which made it even more difficult for them to provide adequately for their children. Single mothers in particular, whose budget is very limited and has been reduced even more by the loss of part-time jobs, were affected.
A list of the food needed for 22 families was sent to us by "Lichtblick Hasenbergl". Thanks to several generous donors and the commitment of the SI Club München- Schwabing, a total of 22 food packages donated over to the facility and thus directly helped the needy families.
The families were very happy and grateful for this unbureaucratic help in times of real need. This is SI commitment in its concrete form.
Thanks again to all those involved and also to "Lichtblick Hasenbergl".
Project 'Simply Constructing'
A building project in Bagamoyo, Tanzania
Simply constructing
The project 'Simply Building - A Workshop on Applied Concrete Technology' is a project initiated by Mareike Thiedeit, a staff member of the Technical University of Munich and club sister, in cooperation with the Forward Step Organisation in Bagamoyo, Tanzania.
The Club München-Schwabing has financially supported this project.
Hospital ship 'River Doctors’
Medical care, protection and empowerment for women in the Irrawaddy Delta, Myanmar
Report of our club sister Solveig Groß from her missions on the Hospital ship of the "River Doctors" in the Irrawaddy Delta..
In 2016, I travelled for the first time with the hospitalship of the "River Doctors" on the Irrawaddy. In a fascinating landscape, I encountered bitter poverty. Cyclone Nagis hit the country with full force in 2008. Nevertheless, the military dictatorship did not allow any aid organisations into the country, even in the face of more than 130,000 dead. Since 2010, Myanmar has been very slowly opening up to foreign aid.
As in many developing countries, women in particular suffer from a lack of medical care. Maternal and child mortality is high. The Irrawaddy Delta in the south of the country, which is difficult to access, is one of the poorest regions in Myanmar. There is hardly any medical care before, during and after birth.
Since 2016, pregnant women can come on board the 'River Doctors' for a check-up. They receive an ultrasound examination, blood samples, nutritional recommendations, education and emotional support. Women also come on board to give birth. The ship is thus a place of protection and security.
Once a year I am on site, working with and organising and conducting further training for midwives and nurses. The aim is to detect pregnancy and birth complications at an early stage and thus avoid serious consequences for mother and child.
Improving women's health is the central concern of this project. The local midwives and nurses pass on their knowledge in the villages. As a contribution to strengthening women's health, menstrual cups, for example, are given to the girls and women. This enables them to participate in public life even during menstruation. At the same time, infections and waste are avoided.
Hygiene, breastfeeding and family planning help to reduce maternal and child mortality.