Rotary Club of Kigali Maiden Speech

1. Rotary Club of KigaliMaiden Speech My Experience of Rotary in Vanuatu and Bangladesh And work in Rwanda Dr Shirley Randell AM March 2008

2. Occupation Year Milestones Roles Countries Studies SHIRLEY RANDELL

3. Occupation Year Milestones Roles Countries Studies SHIRLEY RANDELL

4. Rotary Club of Port Vila Vanuatu • 30 members – French, English, Ni-vanuatu • Visiting speakers each meeting • Major projects • Malaria - nets • Hospital • Scholarships • Rotary Exchange • School buildings

9. About VAWG: a young affiliate which was established in 2001 • VAWG - : Only 20 financial members on average a year since 2001 • Collaborative Partner - : Shirley Randell International and Associates (SRIA) • Associates - : Joint Founder Grace Molisa, Joint Founder and Principal, Dr Shirley Randell, President VAWG Jeannette Bolenga, Member Elizabeth Mermer, Junior Vice President (Translator) Grayleen Lapi

11. Development Partners 1 Bina Roy/ AFUW/ SRIA: • 2002 – Vanuatu Directory of Women Graduates • 2003 – Year 11 Students’ Award for top female student in each secondary school – four books on ni-Vanuatu women • 2004 – Continuation of Year 11 Students’ Award

12. Outcomes • Record of over 400 women graduates with certificates, diplomas and degrees • Identified names, academic qualifications, fields of study and current contact addresses of graduates • Used to identify graduate women for opportunities on boards and other professional opportunities in Vanuatu and overseas

13. Outcomes • Vanuatu Role Models • Pacific Creative Writing • Women and Good Governance • Pacific Women on the Move • Recognition of meritorious girl students • Celebration of ni-Vanuatu writing • Publicity for VAWG and its officers

14. Development Partners 2 Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund/ SRIA: • Vanuatu Writers Association • Workshops for ni-Vanuatu writers • Publication of a book of Pacific writing • Pacific Creative Writers – in memory of Grace Mera Molisa

15. Outcomes • Valuable resource for Pacific literature courses in secondary and tertiary institutions • Paid tribute to a woman who played a significant role in the politics of Vanuatu and the Pacific, in particular the advancement of women and creative writing.

18. Development Partners 3 AusAID: Human Rights Small Grants Award Creating Awareness of Domestic Violence Court Orders / SRIA Broadly representative steering committee consistingofrepresentatives from • Vanuatu Women’s Centre • Department of Women’s Affairs • Vanuatu National Council of Women • National Council of Chiefs • National Council of Churches • National Youth Council • Presbyterian Church of Vanuatu • Departments of Education and Police • Chief Justice Rules Committee • University of the South Pacific Law School

19. Outcomes • The project produced a wide range of educational materials for resource packages, including brochures, posters, a comic book, and activities’ guidelines, and conducted workshops in every province and many islands of Vanuatu. • Chiefs, church, women and youth leaders, and community members attended the workshops and many people at grassroots level now have an understanding of how to use the new Domestic Violence Protection Court Orders.

20. Outcomes • 21 recommendations for further action relate to an inclusive, integrated and planned issues approach to the issue of family violence in Vanuatu • A Report of the project was widely distributed • A poster was produced to illustrate What makes a Successful Woman • Good publicity for VAWG

22. Development Partners 4 • UNHRC: Gold Program – “Vanuatu - Celebrating Ethnic, Cultural and Linguistic Diversity” • Photos of expatriate women married to ni-Vanuatu, who have become ni-Vanuatu citizens and made an immense contribution to the community, were displayed with their families over a caption from the Constitution of the Republic of Vanuatu In collaboration with SRIA

23. Outcomes • A colourful poster celebrating diversity was produced and distributed to all schools and numerous public and private organizations and companies • Self esteem of and tolerance for expatriate women and their children increased

25. Development Partners 5 • European Union Non-State Actors Program/ SRIA • A secondary school curriculum text produced in English, Bislama and French • A colourful poster and teachers’ notes were also produced as part of the project

26. Outcomes Highlights the stories of 43 ni-Vanuatu women working in non-traditional professions in Vanuatu, ranging from the first female ni-Vanuatu doctor, dentist and pilot to car and aircraft mechanics, electricians and builders from every major island and Province of Vanuatu. Encouraging girls to choose non-traditional professions .

28. Development Partners 6 • Queensland Branch of AFUW/ Fiji Association of Women Graduates/ SRIA - Pacific Graduate Women’s Network: Pacific Women on the Move - Record of the historic Pacific Women’s Conference that established PGWNet

30. Outcomes Permanent record of the meeting that highlighted the calibre of these Pacific pioneer women graduates • Recorded a short history of the network and key speeches that were given at the conference • Raised the profile of the Pacific Region of IFUW.

32. Information/ Dissemination • Hundreds of people participated in these projects aimed at empowering women and enhancing the education and human rights of women and girls in Vanuatu. • Workshops were conducted throughout Vanuatu in provinces and villages. • Written reports were forwarded to donor agencies and to IFUW, and publications were formally launched by key figures in politics and governance at venues including the Parliament.

33. Information/ Dissemination • VAWG had an excellent relationship with the media – the two press outlets, radio and television and has received almost weekly publicity for these events. • VAWG’s reputation in the community was greatly enhanced by these successful projects and they have significantly motivated members.

34. Information/ Dissemination • A regular email bulletin advised VAWG members and other graduate women throughout the islands of employment, study and travel opportunities and several were successful in obtaining awards. • These included an IFUW scholarship award for a member to study vet science in Australia, two Rotary traveling fellowships and an appointment to the South Pacific Community in Noumea. • Members also had the opportunity to travel overseas to Canada, Australian, New Zealand and Fiji workshops and conferences of graduate women.

35. Post 2004 • VAWG was a very small organization with only 20 financial members from 2001-2004. • Its hard working Council were all women in the paid workforce in leading positions with immense work and family responsibilities. • A lot of the progress that was made was dependent on support from SRIA, a consulting firm with a commitment to the advancement of women in Vanuatu.

36. At the beginning of 2005, four key members of the VAWG Council took leave to travel overseas for various assignments: - the President to employment at the University of the South Pacific in Fiji Islands, - the Treasurer to full time study in Australia - the Membership Convener to an overseas assignment in Kiribati - the Publicity Officer and Principal of SRIA to an assignment in Bangladesh • Despite every effort to ensure sustainability there has been a lull in activities as the newly elected people were unable to sustain 20 paid members

37. Bangladesh

38. Rotary Club of Dhaka North West, Bangladesh • 30 members • Major projects • Education • Computers • Eye clinics • Medical services • Rotary exchanges

49. Bangladesh Association of University Women • 200 members • Major projects • School for very poor families • Hygiene for children • Dressmaking for their parents • Small marketing