23 May 2026

By ~ Sanny Mok


A Purposeful Day of Learning & Laughter


On Saturday, 23rd May 2026, the beautiful Lava Mansion in George Town, Penang, played host to a truly wonderful day of learning, laughter, and sisterhood as the ladies of the IWC of Pearl of the Orient and IWC Penang gathered together.

This special joint initiative was organized in alignment with the International Inner Wheel constitutional directive, which now mandates training by a District Officer. It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to beautifully blend formal learning with the deep warmth of our shared fellowship.

A Formal Commencement & Sweet Fellowship
Our morning kicked off at 10:30 AM with a delightful tea time, where everyone caught up and bonded over delicious Nyonya kuih and vegetarian fried beehoon.

Before the official meeting sessions began, a beautiful moment of tradition marked our formal start. President Sally Koh (IWC Penang) and IPP Lisa Yeap (IWC POTO) gracefully invited District Chairman Jillian Estrop to light the Candle of Friendship and lead all the ladies present in reciting the Inner Wheel Poem, uniting everyone in purpose and spirit.

Following this meaningful opening, both clubs adjourned to conduct their respective monthly meetings independently. Afterward, we all happily reunited for a wonderful fellowship lunch, enjoying beautifully prepared bento sets and sharing plenty of smiles before diving into our afternoon learning session.

Empowering Our Leaders
The absolute highlight of the afternoon was a deeply impactful and brilliant Training Workshop conducted by our District Chairman, Jillian Estrop. It was a truly eye-opening session where we gained so much valuable insight into:
* The Inner Wheel EXCO structure and how we all fit together.
* Individual EXCO roles, key duties, and leadership responsibilities.
* The essential operational “dos and don’ts.”
* The relevance of the District EXCO and its vital role in governance, giving members a clear understanding of the organizational oversight, relevance, and connection.
* How our support chain connects us all to uplift one another.

Following a highly engaging and fun quiz, the workshop wrapped up beautifully at 3:45 PM. Every single member left packed with knowledge, feeling inspired and filled with renewed confidence to manage our club smoothly and serve our community even better.

A Heartfelt Thank You
We would like to extend our warmest and most sincere gratitude to IWC Penang for organizing this lovely session and extending such a gracious invitation to the ladies of IWC Pearl of the Orient (POTO). It was a beautiful collaboration, and we look forward to sharing many more joint projects in the near future to further strengthen our precious bond of sisterhood!

A huge thank you also goes to DC Jillian Estrop for sharing her invaluable time, guidance, and expertise with us all.

Remember, knowledge is power—and with that power, we can transform to service!