Projects

From 1981 to early 1982, the club’s activities were focused on learning all about Zonta, about service, studying the Club By-Laws, Roberts Rules of Order , the ABC’s of Fund Raising, among other things.  By the time the Club got its charter, the Club’s first project the Casuntingan Day Care Center in Casuntingan, Mandaue City was on its way to implementation.   A second project, the  Tipolo Day Care Center in Tipolo, Mandaue City soon followed.  Through the years, the Club provided funds for the day care teachers’ salaries,  and for the renovation and maintenance of both centers.  The Club members conducted livelihood training sessions (dressmaking, sewing, cooking,, etc.) for the women in the community and the mothers of the children in the day care centers.  Story telling sessions were also held by Zontians and their children.  In the early 1990’s, when a fire razed the Tipolo Day Care Center to the ground, the Club built a new building.  A few years ago, the Casuntingan Day Care Center celebrated its 25th  Anniversary with a lively program where alumni from the USA and Manila recalled their days at the Center with much appreciation and gratitude.  Presently, while the teachers’ salaries are now paid by the City Government, the Club donates Christmas gift packs for the more than 200 children in both day care centers every year.

A third day care center, CRECHE (Crying Room and Extra Caring Hand for Education), at the Cebu City Health Office, provided a learning facility to accommodate children of night entertainers while they were undergoing their regular weekly pap smear tests required of them by the City Health Office.

Another project of the Club is the Women and Children’s Friendly Center (WCFC) at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.  It is a one-stop crisis center for abused women and children.  It is a joint service project of the Club and its mother club, the Zonta Club of Cebu I.  (A detailed description of the WCFC project can be found in this website)Under a Memorandum of Agreement with the City of Cebu, The Zonta Children’s Reading Corner (ZCRC) at the Rizal Memorial Library and Museum was undertaken in 2003.  The Club provided funds for the renovation of a 50-square meter area in the Cebu City Public Library, solicited new books, furniture and equipment from Club members and corporate partners.  Today, the ZCRC is a regular venue for storytelling and reading  sessions with children from the city’s barangays and public and private schools.  Club members, prominent businessmen, professionals and community leaders, government officials and college students are invited and volunteer their time for these storytelling and reading sessions with children from around the City.

The Environment is a special concern of the Club;  and the Club’s  membership in FORWARD (Federation of All Women Organization  Active and Responsive to Development), a conglomeration of women’s clubs in Cebu, whose mission is community development including environmental protection, allows the club members to participate in its activities.  In addition, every biennial programme of activities always includes an activity concerning the environment – tree planting, seminars on recycling, vermiculture, permaculture; participation in Clean Up the World activities,  etc.

Responding to  the needs of women in disaster areas is a continuing activity of the Club.  Donations of funds,  used clothes and relief goods have been made to victims of the Ormoc  and Ondoy floods, the landslide in Ginsaugon, Southern Leyte, the floods in Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete and numerous fire victims.

Every four months, club members in three groups give haircuts to the elderly at the Mother Teresa Home for the Aged and treat them to merienda and a brief show of dancing and singing (in cooperation with the club’s Golden Z members).

In 2007, the Club sent 15 young women to undergo a 3-week intensive hands-on training in Industrial Welding and Pipefitting, some of whom found jobs; at least one of them in Japan.   For three years now, the Club has awarded Leadership Medals of Excellence to one graduating high school girl each from different participating high schools in the City.  The objectives of this  project are to promote leadership excellence among young girls;  to foster better understanding about the role of young Filipino girls who are trustworthy, diligent, highly motivated and gender sensitive individuals; and to raise the level of public awareness about Zonta’s advocacy to uplift, promote, empower, educate and advance the status of girls and women.  In 1994,  the Club organized a Z Club at the University of Southern Philippines (USP).

Today, mentoring  the USP Z Club members continues – they are invited to be involved in some of the Club’s projects where they experience and are able to hone their leadership skills through service and advocacy.

In 2008 , the Club “adopted” Barangay Alang-alang in Mandawe City to be the beneficiary of the club’s activities and projects.  On February 21, 2009, the adoption was formalized by virtue of a Memorandum of Agreement between the Club and the Barangay Alang-alang Council.  To date,  the following activities and projects have been undertaken in our adopted barangay:  donations to fire victims of the barangay;  livelihood training sessions for women (massage, organic fertilizer and food supplement making, backyard gardening and poultry raising, hairdressing, powder detergent/hand soap/fabric conditioner- making), dengue prevention; cancer detection (in cooperation with the Philippine Medical Women’s Association);  and gender sensitivity seminars.

The Club has partnered with local governments in many of its projects.  It is an accredited NGO in both the Cities of Cebu and Mandaue.  In Cebu City, the Club, as an accredited NGO has been a recipient of funds for its project, the Women and Children’s Friendly Center.

In 2007, the Club organized the Zonta Club of Bohol, with 20 charter members.  However, the new club has been experiencing  birth pains but will hopefully soon be revived.

MORE PROJECT PHOTOS

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