Over the last one hundred years, the kindness of Lions and Leos has multiplied across borders and continents.
To this end, Lions Clubs International is uniting its global service around five areas of need and any area peculiar to community with the hope of putting a smile on the face of humanity.
Its Governor, District 404b-1 Lagos, Lion Oluremi Lynda Odunmbaku, stated that the district plans for 2020/2021 Lions Year will focus on the core projects and LCI global causes, members’ welfare package and excellence district administration.
She pointed out the various interventions the club made in the world and in Nigeria to ameliorate the plight of people, saying the measures were part of the club’s mission of serving the public.
The District Governor noted that the global causes which include diabetes, vision, environment, hunger relief and childhood cancer, present significant challenges to humanity, believing it’s their turn to meet them.
According to her, with a vision to empower volunteers to serve their communities, meet humanitarian needs, encourage peace and promote international understanding through Lions clubs, the Clubs International continued to seek for support from the public both morally, financially to carryout its various programmes which are five global service areas: vision, hunger, the environment, childhood cancer and diabetes.
Speaking at a news briefing, she says the club unites to address the Covid-19 pandemic, through its foundation which is responding to the immense challenges facing humankind.
According to her, through millions of dollars in grant funding, the foundation has supported Lions relief efforts globally, saying the foundation continue its commitment to restoring wellbeing to communities.
Odunmbaku, says five million naira, with materials such as facemasks, kits have been donated by the club to Lagos State government, three million naira to federal government as part of the effort to fight the pandemic.
This time, according to her, the donation will come from the Lions Clubs International Foundation, adding that the Lions Clubs International Foundation had earmarked millions of dollars to support Nigeria in combating the spread of covid-19, and Lagos being where the index case was first identified and with the largest number of confirmed case would have the largest share of the materials that will be bought with the money.
She said there is need for the Federal Government to carry out more testing and embark on more enlightenment about the Covid-19 pandemic to stem the spread in the country, as the number of cases is increasing, surpassing twenty-nine thousand as Nigerian Centre for Disease Control announces five hundred and seventy-five new cases
On diabetes, which is the signature cause of Lions and Leos around the world, this year Lions Club will complete the Diabetes Centre at Igando General Hospital, and screen and treat over 100,000 people.”
Other areas include the completion of Dialysis Centre at State Hospital Ibadan, Oyo State, through a grant from Lions Club Foundation, LCIF, the completion of the Lions Eye Hospital at Badagry, Lagos through donations from clubs, partners and a possible grant from Lions Club International Foundation, LCIF.
The club will also build a befitting District 404 B1 Secretariat equipped with technology advancement like webinar, online survey, website, social media presence and database for District 404B1 members.
There will also be life insurance scheme, health insurance scheme, a travel savings scheme, Lions D404B 1 Co-operative, legal scheme and Lions Cooperate Partnership benefits.
She emphasised the importance of charity, noting that when the needy and the less privileged in our society are taken care of the crime rate and other vices will reduce.
Odunmbaku noted that if these people are completely neglected the consequences may be alarming and other residents are the target.
She says the club is giving priority consideration to support regions with extreme rates of confirmed Covid-19 cases, saying the focus will be on addressing those needs that exist within local medical and emergency management systems that are coordinating efforts with the World Health Organisation.
She says donations for Covid-19 response are being accepted through LCIF’s General Disaster Fund, saying donations to help in the fight to keep families and communities safe are eligible for Melvin Jones Fellows and Campaign one hundred.
Odunmbaku says LCIF recognises and thanks its Campaign 100 International Committee members, area leaders, multiple district coordinators, district coordinators and club coordinators for their dedicated efforts to empower Lions’ service both locally and globally.
According to her, their campaign leadership is in the process of evaluating the impact that the Covid-19 crisis is having on Campaign 100, saying in the weeks to come, they will provide with more information about how Campaign 100 is adapting to address this unprecedented situation.
Campaign 100’s support of Lions’ service is more important now than ever. LCIF would like to take this opportunity to encourage all those who are working hard in support of Campaign 100 to prioritize health and safety, while remaining connected with your fellow Lions and the LCIF staff supporting you.
With over 1.4 million members, we now have an opportunity to truly change our world. With Global target of serving over 200 million people annually.
These Global Causes present significant challenges to humanity, and we believe it’s our turn to meet them.•1. Diabetes •2. Vision •3. Environment•4. Hunger Relief•5. Childhood Cance
We served 1,383,808 last Lions Year in District 404B1 and over 4,683,892 were served by Multiple District Nigeria Lions but little publicity was given to this Great feat; so we need the support to reshape public opinion and improve visibility in Nigeria with the hope of reaching new markets to serve more Nigerians.
We therefore extend our hands of friendship to companies in these fields for mutually beneficial partnership as part of their own corporate social responsibilities.
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