My Friends in Inner Wheel,

It is a great honor to have been elected Chairman for Inner Wheel Clubs- District 95 for the year 2009-2010.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody for their vote of faith, in hope that I may serve this association to the best of my abilities with pride and pleasure.

This year’s theme “Help Bring hope”, chosen by our dear Mrs. Anne Fryer, is a challenging invitation we can only translate into action through dedicated service toward selfless good, especially in times as the current ones where materialistic values seem to undermine empowering forces such as Hope. Accordingly, it is our obligation to put in collaborative efforts to meaningfully fulfill this theme.

To enact Hope is a noble commitment, not only towards those who need financial, medical and/or social aid, but also toward all who have been frustrated or put down by difficult times and circumstances. It is these people, in particular, who need us to give them a hand, pull them back on their feet, and encourage them to anticipate better lives, through action, productivity, and contentment.

Accordingly, we need to find ways to translate “Help” at many levels, among which are the spiritual and moral in addition to the materialistic. To “Help Bring Hope” to the less fortunate, we must address issues pertaining to children and women in particular; however, to do so, our efforts should address the whole family so that our society, at large, benefits and moves towards the better.

Throughout 38 years, the achievements of Inner Wheel clubs of Egypt & Jordan were obvious. It is noteworthy that the continuous efforts of these clubs and their supporting activities for the economic and social empowerment of women bring Hope as they promote Inner Wheel’s principles through voluntary work.

The adoption of the International IW UNICEF program for education of girls for the next three years will serve our countries as well as humanity, as such projects will alleviate circumstances of people in our community & country, therefore fulfilling their ambitions to a higher extent.

The relationship becomes thus clear: when national and social support increases in our society, hope is enhanced, and vice versa.

The vision of our founder Mrs. Margaret Golding, of bringing women together in true friendship to personally serve their community, develop international understanding, and thus share a common goal of reaching out to those who need them, is the core of our endeavors: our “Hope”. As a result, Inner Wheel members really do make a difference as they “Help Bring Hope” by working as a united team and fulfill their duty by serving the community to make dreams of many a reality.

Hope, being an inspiration, is our compass toward current and future service projects. And as we hold hope high, we must do so through selfless service to emit it among all those in need to give a helping hand, to help put a smile on a child’s face, and create prosperous change.

In hope that the coming years be filled with prosperity, propriety and productivity, I would like to convey my admiration, gratitude, and appreciation to all Inner Wheel members in the 31 clubs of District 95 in Egypt & Jordan. Best wishes for fruitful years in Inner Wheel Friendship & Service.

Nahla Qubain Sweiss
Amman – Jordan
District Chairman
2009-2010
District 95 Egypt & Jordan

Dear friends in Inner Wheel, members of District 95 in Egypt and Jordan,

It gives me great pleasure to congratulate you at the beginning of our Inner Wheel year and to wish you the fulfillment of all your visions in your dedicated voluntary work.

It is a great  honour for me to serve as your elected Chairman for the year 2008-2009 and I am deeply honoured by your trust and faith in me.

Our International President, Mrs. Suzanne Nielson sent us a letter indicating her Presidential theme for this year:

 ‘Realise your Visions-and-Make a Difference’.

We are indeed energized by this theme and I do hope that all members of our District will do their utmost to realise their visions for the betterment of our world.
Our beloved Inner Wheel is the epitome of ideals that we firmly believe in:
•To promote true friendship.
•To encourage the ideals of personal service.
•To foster international understanding.
We have extended a helping hand on the local front as well as on the international front.  Our world needs this harmony and peace in giving the best we have to those less fortunate and in extending bridges of understanding and friendship.

Mrs. Nielsen has asked us to contribute to the IIW Social Project, the UNICEF Education for girls program.  I am happy to say that our clubs are committed to contributing to this worthy endeavor as it fulfills an international as well as a national need in both Egypt and Jordan.  We will be working under the auspices of the UNICEF and of the First Lady of Egypt, Mrs. Mubarak’s 300 schools initiative as well as  the NCCM’s  (National Council for Childhood & Motherhood) GEI, the initiative for girls’ education. Our members do indeed want to make a difference in the lives of numerous girls who will in turn, affect the lives of future generations in our countries.
I was blessed to work closely with our members in our efforts in making the less fortunate happier and in giving a helping hand in several projects that have made a difference in so many lives.  Bonds of friendship have started and continued and generations of Inner Wheel members have flourished.
I was awed by the magnitude of our work as seem in our projects covering all the areas represented by our United Nations committees: the rights of the Child, the Family, the status of women, ageing and narcotics and many more areas needed in our part of the world.
Our 14th IIW Convention will take place in  May 2009 – in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.  I hope as many of our members as possible will attend and will use this opportunity to reunite with old friends and start new friendships to last for many years. I urge to check the information I have put on our website about this conference and the previous ones.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to our founder, Mrs. Margarette Golding, who brought us together in friendship across continents, countries, nationalities, ages and races.

I can’t stress enough that clear channels of communication are crucial between members within individual clubs and/or between clubs in the District as well as between our District and other clubs and Districts around the world.
Our District Committee works as a united team and during my official club visits an atmosphere of admirable camaraderie and trust have given club members a bonding experience with our team.
 
During these visits the role of the IW club member is always stressed because the strength and the success of the clubs and the District rely mainly on the individual member and her commitment to our objectives.

Our organization was started on January 10th, 1924, by a fine lady from the United Kingdom: Mrs. Margarette Golding.  Mrs. Golding, the wife of a Rotarian from Manchester, invited a small group of 27 wives of Rotarians to form the first Inner Wheel club that met on that day.  This small nucleus of dedicated ladies has now grown to include 96,409 members in more than 103 countries in 3789 clubs in 170 Districts.  Our District is an integral part of this international group that is represented at the United Nations.

 •I would like to stress on all club presidents the importance of friendship within the clubs and the necessity of opening all channels of communication so that we can “Realise Our Visions and Make a Difference”.

•It is also imperative that club presidents do not over burden club members financially since we are not a charity organization. Our efforts are reflected through our contributions in projects pertaining to education, health, development of rural areas, environmental issues, helping needy children, mothers as well as the aged to name but a few of our contributions.  Our efforts do make a difference in the lives of so many who are less fortunate.
•Club presidents and all members of Inner Wheel should also be well informed about our Constitution and should not deviate from its principles.

•I would also like to encourage clubs to host joint events and meetings and to participate in our provincial visits to as many clubs as possible.

Last but not least, I would like to conclude by addressing the individual Inner Wheel Club member:

I would like to point out that you are as strong as your contributions and your efforts as well as your commitment to our objectives and our organization.  Please do not forget that International Inner Wheel started through the efforts of a woman like you; a woman who is positive about her voluntary work and who truly believes in our objectives. This woman firmly believes in the importance of forming links of friendship and love and in the spirit of forgiveness and tolerance.  I have to say that our clubs are full of women such as you, the epitome of selfless efforts.

I would like to share with you the following words by Mother Teresa who has left a deep impact on my life:

YOU AND PEOPLE
•People are so often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered;
forgive them anyway.
•If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfishness or ulterior motives;
be kind anyway.
•If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some enemies;
succeed anyway.
•If you are honest, people may cheat you;
be honest anyway.
•If you find happiness, people may be jealous;
be happy anyway.
•If you do good today people will often forget tomorrow;
do good anyway.
•If you give the world the best you have, it may never be enough;
give the best you have anyway.

•You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you, your conscience, and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

It gives me great honour to be a member of the “helpings hands” team, the selfless team of my heroines, the members of Inner Wheel Egypt and Jordan and the exemplary District committee Team.  You have all been a beacon of light for our members.  Ladies of Inner Wheel District 95, let us go forth and continue to do good “anyway” and “anywhere” not only in Egypt and Jordan but anywhere in the world where help is needed.

Last but not least, we proudly congratulate our past National Representative, Mrs. Seham El Gohary, for her new position as Board Director in the International Inner Wheel in 2008-2009.  Seham, you deserve all the best and we are proud of you.
Let us all join hands and continue to work as one to put our new Presidential Theme to work.

I would like to take this opportunity to convey my love and admiration for all the Inner Wheel members in all the clubs in our District in both Egypt and Jordan; you have truly made us proud of you.

Yours in Inner Wheel friendship,
Ashnadelle Hilmy/Mortagy

Chairman
2008-2009
Past National Representative
2000-2002
Webmaster District website
2000-2009
District 95 Egypt and Jordan