JEDDAH ELITE LADIES TOASTMASTERS
by Rayeesa Tabassum
This year, our city, Jeddah, had the privilege of hosting the Saudi Arabian Toastmasters Annual Conference: SATAC 2015. It was a grand affair, bringing together the best speaking talents from all over the country. Abdullah Al Jurfi emerged as the winner in International Speech Category. He will go on to represent Saudi Arabia at Toastmasters International Convention in Las Vegas, in August, to win the coveted title of “The World Champion of Public Speaking.”
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| Jeddah Elite ladies toastmasters pose with their trophies at their club contest. |
Saudi Arabia is also called district 79 and boasts of over 200 clubs, including Arabic, English and other languages too. There are approximately 40 clubs in Jeddah alone. Among them are corporate as well as community clubs and a few exclusive ladies clubs too. Jeddah Elite ladies toastmasters club prides in being the first ladies only club in the city and has been instrumental in bringing women from the kitchen to the podium.
Founded by Shanti Lakshman, an experienced toastmaster, in June 2013, it won the prestigious president distinguished club award in the very first year of its formation. This year too, the club shone in the division level conference with its members winning 2nd prize in each of table topics, humorous speech and evaluation contests.
Ladies from different countries and professions meet on alternate Thursdays, in Aziziyah, to improve their communication and leadership skills. A general meeting has three components: Prepared Speeches, Evaluations and Table topics. In the first session, members present prepared speeches based on the projects from “Competent Communication Manual” provided by Toastmasters International. Each speaker is assigned an evaluator, who provides constructive and helpful feedback to the speaker to improve her speech.
In table topics, a “topic” is given on the spot and members are required to speak about it for 2-3 minutes. At every meeting, members take up different leadership roles such as Toastmaster of the Evening, Table Topics Master, General Evaluator, Grammarian, Timer and Ah Counter. The whole educational session enables members to improve various skills like impromptu speaking, listening, evaluation, providing feedback, organizing and time management.
Jeddah Elite ladies club has made stars out of homemakers. Members with English as their second language have used this platform to gain confidence in their spoken English skills. TM Ajitha Saleem, a non-native English speaker, began her journey of Toastmasters, with table topics speech in her mother tongue. In just one year, she has transformed from hesitant, nervous speaker to humorous speech champion.
At Jeddah Elite Ladies Toastmaster meetings, learning takes place in a fun, comfortable setting. Ladies in Jeddah who are interested are welcome to attend a meeting to get a first hand experience of toastmasters. To find out more information, please use any of these ways to contact Jeddah Elite Ladies Toastmasters:
Twitter : @jedeliteladies_
Email : jeddah.elite.ladies@gmail.com
Facebook : JeddahEliteLadiesTM
That is great that you are able to participate in Toastmasters, Susie!
ReplyDeleteI certainly agree to some points that you have discussed on this post. I appreciate that you have shared some reliable tips on this review.
ReplyDeleteHi Susie, I have been read your blog for about 2 years and I love it.love the pictures and the painting, so beautiful! I WaS reading a interview you did while back and it ask about your children so I'm wondering if these are your husbands bio kids as well I think in the interview you mention you wish your husband was more interested in the son that came with you to saudi.So I was just wondering if your husband I'd bio father to children.it may be non of my businesses as well and that is fine too! I just know that you have said you to been together long time them seperated then got back together n married. thanks from a girl In Saudi-Riyadh
ReplyDeleteHi Sweet Pea - I met my husband when my daughter was 7 years old, so she has known him virtually all of her life. She is now 45. My husband is the biological father of my son, who is now 22.
DeleteInteresting!
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ReplyDeleteCan anyone attend this "JEDDAH ELITE LADIES TOASTMASTERS"? This one is really a great info specially for women.
weldone
Hi Weldone - If you have any specific questions, just send an email or contact them by the other means listed at the end of the article.
DeleteGreat post, and warm greetings from Montreal, Canada. :)
ReplyDeleteHello Susie, I've spent a couple of hours reading your blog and about the plight of women in Saudi Arabia. I was especially touched by the story of your friend, who'd moved to Saudi Arabia from America, just like you and who'd lost her self-confidence. I know for having experienced it that when you move to another country skilled in a field and with a position in life, it can be hard to find a suitable place in your new home country. Conditions are often different. This happens to many women as they follow their DH pursuing his significance in life. I know that staying at home, disconnected from the world or a social circle can be really depressing and make a woman feel depreciated. Kudos for these women in Toastmasters and kudos for you, for reporting on their successes! Here's a link to a video that I find inspiring. Peter Diamantis author of Abundance and Bold just depicts a new kind of world. I'm thinking that maybe those well educated (60% of college students) Arabian women who are chained to their homes, could start a movement of some kind where they are all connected with their computers. It might trigger a real change. In any case, it might give you a bit of lift, hopefully. https://fr.khanacademy.org
ReplyDeleteHi Barbara - Thank you for the link. The age of the internet has already made quite an impact on the lives of many women here in Saudi, many of whom who were pretty isolated. In my 8 years here in KSA, I have seen change for women and I feel it is in large part a direct result of social media. Personally I know that there would be no way I would have retained my sanity living here in KSA without it.
DeleteTotally understand! My situation is different, but about 23 years ago I followed DH to northern Florida, where I started a (failing) internet home based business. After a few months, depression set in. I knew no one save my husband and son, felt stripped of my former confidence and lingered at cash registers just to exchange a few words with the cashiers. We are social animals and solitary confinement is supposed to be the hardest form of imprisonment. I guess when you are born in KSA it does feel so oppressive as when you've know a different form of life. Of course, in the West, women had to fight for their rights, too. I'm form Switzerland, 57 now and remember in the early 70's when my mother showed me her pay check, sent in the name of my dad! She was furious and I thought that was so unfair! Of course Switzerland was by far not the most progressive country. Women only got the vote in 1970. I remember in school being taught about the political system, and women being labeled passive citizens, like children. Then the teacher said something about an assembly of the taxpayers because when you pay, you also have the right to voice your opinion. So, I ask, so women don't pay any taxes? There was an embarrassed silence and I became a feminist! Best to you, Susie.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and tips..even I also think that hard work is the most important aspect of getting success..
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Nice, interesting post... thanks for posting!
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