Zonta Club III of Colombo inducts new President and Board for 2014-2016
Saturday, 5 July 2014 00:00
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The Zonta Club III of Colombo installed and inducted the new President and Club officials for its new biennium of 2014-2016 on Sunday 15 June at its Annual General Meeting at the Hilton Colombo Residences.
Priyanganie Mushin - President
Moji Akingbade – President Elect
The new Board inducted comprised Priyanganie Mushin – President, Moji Akingbade – President Elect, Ifeth Mansoor – Vice President, Farida Aliboy, Ratten Abdulhussein and Shiranthi Gunawardena – Directors, Mihiri Krishnamoorthy and Nirma De Silva Wijeratne – Treasurers and Diyamanthi Gunaratne and Farida Luckmanjee – Secretaries.
The incoming President, Priyanganie Mushin, delivered an eloquent speech on her goals for the club during the new biennium.
She mentioned that advancing the status of women via economic empowerment through micro finance and the ‘No to Violence against Women’ initiative would be their main focus during their elected biennium.
The Club is to launch a massive advocacy campaign titled ‘No to Violence’ to reduce the incidences of violence against women through awareness to all sections of society, including the future generations of Sri Lanka, that the human rights of women and girls are an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of universal human rights.
The funds raised for the campaign will also be used to maintain shelter homes for victims of violence. As the first fundraiser this year for the ‘No to Violence’ initiative, the Club hopes to inspire and create awareness of the futility of violence to women and children to audiences in Sri Lanka through the world-acclaimed benefit production of Eve Ensler’s ‘Vagina Monologues’.
The theatre company based in Mumbai India will be flown down for the event, for twin performances to be held on 24 August at the British School Auditorium, Colombo 8.
Zonta District Secretary Shahnaz Nathani was the Chief Guest of the event and delivered an inspiring speech on the goals of Zonta International and praised the ongoing progress of Club III since its induction.
In particular, she commended the Club’s ‘Zonta Women of Tomorrow (ZWOT) Mentorship Program’ service project, which has been selected as a finalist for the Zonta Service Recognition Award. The ZWOT project aims to enhance and hone the employability and professional skills of young Sri Lankan women. Former Zonta District Governor Manthree Perera was also present at the event.
Zonta Club III of Colombo, since its inception in 2008, has raised funds for the numerous projects undertaken to enhance and develop the lives of less fortunate women and children. Its programs include the Zonta Women of Tomorrow (ZWOT) Mentorship program (see above), the resettlement of the war widows of the Weli-Oya area (together with Brigade 622 of the Sri Lanka Army) and the Golden Z Club of undergraduate members who will work towards a joint mission of uplifting the lives of women and children in Sri Lanka.
For more information about the Zonta Club III of Colombo and how to become a member, visit the Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/zontaclub3 or Zonta International at www.zonta.org.
