2023 Global Service Week

What was the Global Service Week? It was an example of what is possible when the world’s largest service organization is inspired by the message of “Together We Can” and works to bring the world closer together through service. It began with a grant to Lions Clubs International Foundation that was funded by a $100,000 donation from one of the co-founders of the DeGenerous Dao - Governor Pano.

Using the global network of Lions volunteers, Governor Pano worked with the Lions of Kenya to plan a global service trip to Nairobi.

Governor Pano connected with the Lions District Governor from Kenya and the two district governors answered the call issued by their International President Lion Brian Sheehan and came up with a plan to show the power of collective impact through a combined service initiative. It took place over 6 days in the areas surrounding Nairobi, Kenya. There were 27 service projects done in that time covering every aspect of the global service initiatives of Lions Clubs International. There were Lions from 10 States, 4 continents, and 7 countries who joined the first ever truly global Lionistic International Service trip. Over 20,000 lives were directly positively affected by the service done during the course of the week. The true measure of the impact of what was done is, perhaps, incalculable as the ripple effects of service done will carry on and encompass the joy shared by the families and friends of all those who were served.

It was an experience that no one who participated in it will ever forget.

The entire week of activity and hospitality was expertly coordinated with the help of the Kenyan Lions District Governor Shehzan Luhar, Past International Director Manoj Shah, Cabinet Secretary Soyum Shah, and their incredible team of Kenyan Lions. It was truly awe-inspiring to have the chance to work in partnership with such a dynamic and talented team.

What was accomplished?

• An entire school of visually impaired children received footballs designed for the blind and the seeds of an African Football league for the visually impaired were planted.

• Thousands of children received vision screening provided by an expert team of Doctors led by Past International Director Gary Anderson and Past International Director Ed Cordes and supported by the Nairobi Lions Sight First Hospital.

• A school for over 1000 physically disabled children received medical care, donated wheelchairs, and a diabetes clinic, as well as being gifted with an incinerator and industrial washing machine to help maintain the necessary sanitary standards to keep the residents healthy and free of infection.

• There was a Special Olympics event coordinated by the head of Special Olympics Europe David Evangelista that featured inclusive games and a complete medical clinic for youth with intellectual disabilities. It featured vision screening, diabetes screening, a foot and wound clinic, hearing screening, and even a surgical bay.

• Multiple schools of young women were given hygiene kits to address the period poverty that forces young women to miss a week of school whenever their menstrual cycle occurs. The Keep Girls in School movement was started by a young woman in Nairobi who made it the founding service project for the Keep Girls in School Leo club. It was absolutely amazing to be able to help empower those young women to give them the freedom to stay in school.

• There were multiple feeding events where children of all ages were provided with food. Several weeks of food supplies were also delivered to Maasai villages to help combat the lack of food that had been caused by a devastating drought.

• 100 patients were given the gift of sight, receiving free cataract surgery at the Lions Sight First Hospital as a part of the week’s service initiative.

• Digital orbit readers for the blind were donated to the visually impaired along with white canes to help with mobility.

• The first fruit trees were planted with the help of Kenyan Leos in what will become the Lions Forest which will cover a 10-acre plot of land holding hundreds of thousands of trees.

• A women’s empowerment expo was held that highlighted ways that micro-financing can positively impact the economic well-being of a community.

• There was a demonstration about the work Lions are doing in the area of stoma cancer.

• A borehole well was drilled in the southern part of Kenya that is now providing 10,000 to 15,000 liters of water in an area that has been ravaged by drought for the last 3 years. 300 villagers now have a source of life-giving water that will help their community survive.

The Lions Day at the United Nations in Nairobi occurred during the week. It was an incredible event arranged by the dynamic LCI staff that helped highlight Lions global service surrounding Hunger, Wellness, and Nutrition. All of the Lions in attendance for the Global Week of Service attended as delegates and participated in the ever-call is it evolving conversation about how we can help support the United Nations sustainable development goals.

Inspired by a challenge from LCIF Chairperson Douglas Alexander, $150,000 was raised by the Lions in attendance for earthquake disaster relief to support the rebuilding efforts in Turkey and Syria.

18 new members were inducted into the world’s largest service organization. Inspired by the work that was being done, all who witnessed what was occurring wanted to join the Lions family.

It was a week filled with service.

It was a week filled with fellowship.

It was a week filled with fun.

It was a week where Lions who had never met each other became family for life.

The experience was overwhelming, humbling, inspiring, motivating, and quite literally encompassed so many different emotions and thought-provoking moments that it will take a lifetime to fully process.