Know the story throught a message posted in the Soroptimist Chatline

"When the Soroptimist Club of Mongolia was to be chartered last year it was mentioned on the chat line and I had some correspondence with Sachiko Inoue, a Japanese Soroptimist planning to attend, about the charter and a suitable gift. Among my suggestions was the thought that we could help the herders who had suffered such a drastic winter with great losses of stock. Sachiko picked up the idea and when the Japanese contingent arrived in Mongolia they brought with them money to purchase 110 sheep. Together with members of the new club they visited one of the aimags (regions) to purchase the sheep and present them to the herders.

We have since heard from Naran, who is the Secretary of the Mongolian club that the sheep survived yet another intensely cold winter and are all to produce lambs.

Sachiko is to visit Mongolia again this year - in August and she will be taking with her money to purchase 250 more sheep, a gift from the Soroptiomists of Japan.

I mentioned on the chat line that perhaps other people would like to donate sheep to the herders and the result so far is money for 35 sheep (we are anticipating that the cost per sheep is $25 US but this has yet to be confirmed). We are still working on the ways and means of getting the money to Mongolia where the sheep will be purchased and I will advise regarding this as soon as the price has been determined.

Many thanks to all of yo and keep on thinking "sheep"!

Regards and best wishes

Margaret Smith - IPP - SI of Canberra, Region of New South Wales, Federation of SW Pacific"