Fatemeh Etemadi, the Zonta Club of Perth Education Awardee 2020
A message from member Vicky Nazer:
What a pleasant surprise for me when I arrived for a ‘scale, clean, and polish’ at my local dental surgery this afternoon!
My dental therapist was none other than Fatemeh Etemadi, our Education awardee from 2020, who graduated from Curtin at the end of last year! She was happy for me to take these two photos of her at work.
In the photo where she’s masked, she’s wearing some special magnifying equipment (attached to her glasses) that her award money helped fund. You’ll remember that she initially had intended to use the award money to buy a computer or a car, but she decided the special dental equipment would be a better long-term investment for her career. She said that owning such equipment made finding employment with a dentist much easier for her.
She commented that the Award was a very generous amount. It had been a great help to her, and she wanted me to thank ‘everyone at Zonta’ again for the Award.
Fetemah with her special magnifying glasses purchased with the money from her Education Award
The Birthing Kit Assembly Day proceeded on Saturday 18th September 2021. Despite the short preparation time prior to the day, the 400 Birthing Kits were assembled with time to spare. The St Catherine’s College Golden Z Club Committee plus a small group of St Catherine’s volunteers enthusiastically learnt what needed to be done and got to work.
The Zonta Club of Perth provided support, with Mary Gurgone, Donella Caspersz, Lena Hilton and Vera Rily being part of the assembly day.
The Golden Z Club president, Rachel Tan spoke to the group about the Birthing Kits, the future and the Golden Z Club AGM planned for early October.
Members of the St Catherine’s CollegeGolden Z Club, Zontians and St Catherine’s volunteers assemble 400 birthing kits.
This event will transport you to the streets of Buenos Aries, where you can immerse yourself in the passion of the Argentine Tango – and support a good cause!
Over a sumptuous high tea, you will be entertained by Nick and Camila of Tango Artisans and have fun trying out the Argentine Tango for yourself!
Dress code: Red and black attire, comfortable footwear, with plastic or leather soles for men. Low heels or stilettos for ladies. (No soft rubber soles or gym shoes)
Through our Zonta Says NOW program, we know that women and girls will come off worst with climate change. Climate change will magnify existing inequalities and if the gender gap is not closed in this decade, it will turn into a chasm in the next. We need to take climate action now if we are to have a world where all lives matter.
Australia is one of the world’s major producers of fossil fuels and has the worst emissions record of any developed country. The recent UN Climate Change report showed that we need to achieve zero carbon emissions by 2040 if we are to prevent runaway global warming. However, the Australian Government recently chose not to adopt the Climate Change Bills – so they could not be debated in Parliament.
Thousands of people around Australia have not given up on the Climate Change Bills.
A Different Approach Community (ADAC) has been writing 227 letters a month to all Federal parliamentarians since 2019 asking for urgent action on climate change. They have devised this ingenious Mass Mailout for Climate campaign and have asked community groups to send letters to their MPs:
Throughout September, an expected 30,000 letters will be collected in a post office locked bag in Canberra and delivered to independent parliamentarian Zali Steggall at a media photoshoot event in October.
Visit the Mass Mailout for Climate website to view videos of Zali Steggall describing the campaign, get instructions on where to send your letters and some ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
To make your letter count, post it during September!
Young women participate in a literacy class in Kabul as part of the Women’s Learning Center project with the Afghan Institute of Learning in 2002.
As events unfold in Afghanistan, our thoughts are with women and girls as they transition to life under the rule of the Taliban.
Zonta International has worked with Afghan women and girls on various health and edcuation programs since 2002 and has issued a statement that says, in part:
…we acknowledge and share concerns that Afghan women will have imposed limitations that prohibit them from being actors in their own decision-making, which is a fundamental human right.
We will work through our General Consultative Status at the United Nations to continue to advocate to ensure that women and girls in Afghanistan and elsewhere are able to participate fully in their societies and that girls have access to a quality education and can pursue that education without fear for their safety.
Tayla Ayling with her Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship certificate
Congratulations to Tayla Ayling who is this year’s Area 3 winner of the Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship.
Tayla was presented with her award by Area 3 Director, Tyril Houghton, at an event hosted by the Zonta Club of Perth Northern Suburbs, who reported that:
Following her undergraduate degree in Commerce completed at the University of Western Australia, Tayla enrolled in a Master of Commerce, majoring in Supply Chain Management, which she is currently studying at Curtin University.
Tayla’s academic achievements are remarkable and her voluntary and leadership activities impressive. While in South Africa, she initiated and assisted two schools with a reading program which used donated books that resulted in 100+ learners to improve their reading skills. Following this she produced a documentary ‘Reading is Everyone’s Business’ to elevate the importance of reading and encouraging the business sector to be accountable.
Tayla is a recipient of Curtin’s High Achiever’s Program, a senior student mentor and president of Curtin’s Logistics and Supply Chain Association.
Zonta International’s Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship helps women pursue undergraduate and master’s degrees in business management and overcome gender barriers from the classroom to the boardroom.
The Scholarship operates at three levels. Having won at the local level ($1500), Tayla’s application will be forwarded for consideration of a District 23 Award (US$2,000) and, if successful, will be forwarded to Zonta International for consideration of a further award (US$8,000).
Congratulations Tayla and we wish you every success in the future!
Fancy a night of fun and laughter as the winter nights draw in?
Want to help a good cause?
This event is for you!
The Harbour Theatre @ Camelot is kindly hosting a special fundraising night for the Zonta Club of Perth of its latest production:
Confetti from Graceland.
A house painter in Brooklyn – who is a die-hard Elvis fan – is celebrating Elvis’s birthday. He is about to invest in an ice cream parlour when his daughter announces that she is about to be married. Hilarity ensues…
Tickets are $35 and include a raffle ticket. Complimentary tea, coffee and biscuits will be available during the interval.
There will also be a cash bar.
All proceeds go to Zonta’s health and education programs to empower women and girls.
The Harbour Theatre @ Camelot is an indoor theatre and has wheelchair access.
Zonta International recognises that climate change threatens human rights, such as right to life, food, water, health, education, livelihood and safety. Therefore, Zonta International calls for action in favor of a fair and human rights-based approach to solve the crisis of climate change in the post-pandemic world and achieve greener, cleaner and equal societies.
As stated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on several occasions, and affirmed in the most recent UN SDG Report, “If the world does not act now, and forcefully, the catastrophic effects of climate change will be far greater than the current pandemic.”
Zonta International adds its voice to affirm that climate change requires swift and decisive actions and the time for such actions is now.
Download the Statement to read how Zonta International calls on governments to take action.
To find out more about how you can take action today visit Zonta Says NOW.
Today we celebrate the 51st International Earth Day and there could be no better day to launch our latest club initiative – Recycle, Plant Trees.
Recycling containers reduces landfill and planting trees helps the Earth to breathe. Through Recycle, Plant Trees, we can do both at the same time!
Collect recyclable containers and drop them off at your local Containers for Change site.
Quote the Zonta Club of Perth’s CFC identification number C10450919 and the money will go direct to our club.
For every 40 containers collected, we will use the cash for Carbon Positive to plant a tree on our behalf.
How many trees could we plant in the next year? 50, 500, 5,000?
Please download the flyer and share with your colleagues, family and friends – and together we can work towards a gender-equitable, sustainable future!
Learning about coercive control at the Area 3 workshop. L-R: Mrs McLean, Tyril Houghton (Area 3 Director), Don McLean (WA Police).
It was a jam packed program at the Zonta District 23 Area 3 Workshop. The program included presentations on gender equality and climate action, coercive control, and women in technology as well as presentations, and updates on the amazing projects being undertaken by clubs in Western Australia.
We did not realise how grim the future looks for women if the climate crisis is not addressed quickly. As the Eastern States were suffering from prolonged flooding, Zontian, Carole Theobald walked us through the problems of the climate crisis. We learned that women hold the key to many of the solutions. Educating girls, advocating for women’s rights and inspiring more female leaders are fundamental ways of reducing emissions… just visit zontasaysnow.org.au to find out why.
Don McLean from WA Police provided a very practical visual to demonstrate the elements that make up coercive control. He spoke from experience and explained that many women do not realise that coercive control is a form of family violence. Women may not be suffering physical violence, but they cannot live their lives fully. Their partners use their power to control them through such actions as intimidation, coercion, withholding money and limiting who they can see. It is scary to see how insidious this behaviour can be, slowly growing over the years until the woman has no confidence, no power, and no life. WA Police are being trained to look for the signs of coercive control when attending family violence situations. The book See What You Made Me Do by Jess Hill explains coercive control in more detail.
Kay Hargreaves, the co-chair of Women in Technology WA, provided an overview of their work to champion diversity and equality for women in technology+. With over 4,500 members, WITWA has four programs: future skills that through the Techtrails program bring female technology professionals into the classroom; professional events to increase members confidence and visibility; a new program that brings practical diversity and inclusion education to corporations; as well as an annual conference and awards to recognise excellence. Kay was inspired by Dame Steve Shirley, an early software entrepreneur that employed mostly females that worked from home – decades ago! Check her out in this interview.
A special presentation was made to Marina Sarkoski, who won the 2020 District 23 Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship. Marina brought her husband and two sons who proudly saw her being presented with the award.
Members were able to catch up on activities being undertaken by clubs throughout WA, share ideas and learn about what is happening in District 23.
The District Conference is being held in Bendigo, Victoria from 10-12 September – so book your flights today.
L-R: Marina Sarkoski receives the District 23 Jane M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship from District 23 Governor, Sandra Burns.
