Lae women to celebrate international day

WOMEN in Lae will commemorate United Nation’s International Women’s Day on March 08, thanks to the Soroptimist International Club of Lae.
The thirty-two-women club volunteer to raise funds that go to empowering women and girls, such as education or water projects and many more.
President Charlene Andrew said a two hour luncheon at Lae Yacht Club on March 8 is the first of its kind to be hosted by the club, with guest speakers Dr Fiona Hukula of National Research Institute, and Hane Garo, the commercial operations retail manager of Air Niugini.
“We are starting it this year, and we hope to continue every year. Registration is K800 per table of ten people,” she said.
“The International Women’s Day, with the theme, ‘Better the Balance, Better the World’, is a collective day of global celebrations and a call for gender equality.
“The day is all about unity, celebration, reflection, advocacy and action.”
The Soroptimist International has a club in Lae, Port Moresby, Goroka and Ramu. There are plans to extend to Wewak, Madang and Bougainville.
Andrew said the organisation was first established in Lae, and one of its pioneer projects was the old Family Support Centre at Angau Hospital, “that later expanded and became nationwide after the concept was used by the National Health Department”.
“Every year the non-government organisation hosts a trivia night to raise funds,” she said.
“All the funds are put forward to the Cancer Unit, Family and Sexual Violence Unit, and even the Wellness Clinic.”
“We have programmes where we do donations to help women.”