Past Governors’ Projects

For the 2018-20 biennium Rocky Mountain Region partnered with Children of Peace International (COPI) to help two single mothers who were going to college or wanted to go to college in Vietnam to support our region goal to increase Live Your Dream Awards®. It was difficult to find two mothers because if the school knew they had children they would either kick them out of school or not allow them to apply. With much effort, COPI was able to find two single moms in Vietnam for the Governor’s Project to support. One had dropped out of school to support her family when her parents were both injured in a farming accident. A second mother was chosen who had two young daughters. Her husband had abandoned her because she had not produced any sons. The project provided $4600 to help these two mothers continue their education.

For the 2016-18 biennium Rocky Mountain Region partnered with Children of Peace International to help provide girls and young women in Vietnam with hope and the ability to dream big dreams with funds raised going toward providing a college education to young women. A second project was supported with funds along with mentoring opportunities for the Region members working with a regional (in Salt Lake City & St. George, Utah) rehabilitation service program helping women who are being turned out of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints communities in Utah, Wyoming and Montana.

For the 2014-2016 biennium Rocky Mountain Region partnered with Children of Peace International to help provide girls and young women in Vietnam with hope and the ability to dream big dreams. Funds raised went toward providing a college education to young women through a yearly scholarship. Funds also supported ongoing efforts to mentor and teach leadership skills to girls who have been trafficked, abandoned, or abused.

For the 2012-14 biennium Rocky Mountain Region was a partner in funding a preventive program against cervical cancer in rural regions of Armenia. Once the financial commitment was met, additional funds received were distributed to Children of Peace for their cervical cancer prevention program.

For the 2010-12 biennium Rocky Mountain Region was “Remaking a Life.” The COPI project partnered with six other non-governmental organizations to provide life skills training for women who are victims of human trafficking, domestic violence and social injustice. The women learned to write resumes, improve their self-esteem, and develop skills for successful living including nutrition and women’s health. Funds provided for survival bags for at least 300 women. These bags have all of their workshop materials, a portfolio to complete their resume, books, personal hygiene kit, small make-up kit, a five dollar phone card, and a five dollar taxi voucher. The phone card and taxi voucher are to help them escape to a secure spot if necessary.

For the 2008-10 biennium Rocky Mountain Region supported two projects. During this biennium Children of Peace International received a total of $4,734.00 from Rocky Mountain Region for the Little Rose Project, a project to house and help girls reclaim their lives after they had been rescued from the web of human trafficking. Help in these shelters included counseling, education and skills training among other things, depending on the individual girl’s readiness. The goal was $4,200 for this project which included the annual club assessment. This was actually 70% of total funds requested for the governor’s project this biennium as we had a two-part project for the first time. The other 30% went to Into Your Hands – Hands of Hope scholarship program. The goal was $1,800 for that project which also included a portion of the club assessments. By the end of the biennium a total of $2,286 was donated from the region. The grand total was $7,020 for both projects.

For the 2006-08 biennium Rocky Mountain Region continued the partnership with Children of Peace International with a pledge to support two projects that focused on women. The first provided 500 reflective vests to women in North Vietnam who biked from surrounding farms to the market in Hanoi each morning before 4:30 a.m. The second project provided ten market kiosks for indigenous women who offered their beautiful quilts and blankets for sale in the popular tourist town of Sapa. The goal was to raise $5,500 for these two projects, but thanks to the generosity of the clubs and individual region members, total contributions at the end of the biennium were just short of $9,000.

For the 2004-06 biennium Rocky Mountain Region provided scholarships to fund schooling for the orphan children in Vietnam through Children of Peace International. This biennium’s theme for COPI was: “Rocky Mountain Region Soroptimist Scholarships for Children of Peace.” This project provided scholarships for 700 poor children for 1st grade through college level in Vietnam. The goal was to donate $5,000 for these Rocky Mountain Region Scholarships. The goal was exceeded through generous club and personal donations of over $7,000 for scholarships during this biennium.

For the 2002-04 biennium Rocky Mountain Region provided funds to supply school supplies, medical supplies and other necessities for the children through Children of Peace International. During this biennium members donated school supplies, blankets, yarn, stuffed animals and medicine to COPI, as well as $8,000.00 to the Vocational School. Two members traveled with Children of Peace International to Vietnam.

For the 2000-02 biennium Rocky Mountain Region provided funds to build a school in Vietnam for orphan children through Children of Peace International which was the first project chosen. The goal was to raise $10,000 over the biennium. In total there was around $18,000 from clubs and personal donations by 2002. A very successful beginning to our region’s partnership with Children of Peace International.