Big collections of little things translate into help—and hope—for Brazil’s urban animals.
Spaying and neutering animals is an act of love.
The best thing about acts of kindness is that they ripple through a community, often turning small gestures into big change.
Lions in Brazil have found a way to turn their passions into projects that truly benefit many aspects of their community. Matheus Luamm, president of the Lions Clube Aracaju Bertha Lutz in Aracaju, Sergipe founded the Projeto Tampas Pets (Pet Lids Project) in 2020, and it has been making a difference ever since.
At the time he started the project, Luamm was a teacher and he wanted to think beyond the walls of his classroom to find a project that could really make a difference in the greater community. As an animal lover, Luamm decided he might be able to help the population of feral cats in his Aracaju.
A local veterinary clinic had a program where you could donate plastic caps, metal lids, iron seals and aerosol cans to them. The clinic would then sell the recyclable goods and use the money to spay and neuter feral cats or those whose owners could not pay.
After the first successful year, Luamm’s 21-member club began partnering with more clubs. And while he is no longer a teacher at that school, the project with the Lions club is still going strong. Lions place collection bins in schools, restaurants and bars throughout the city to collect the caps, lids and cans and deliver an average of four to five large bags of recyclables every two to three months. The bins have signs with a Lions logo and website addresses of where anyone who is interested can go to learn more about Lions and about the project.
“Spaying and neutering animals is an act of love,” says Luamm. “We help control the population growth and prevent the spread of diseases.”
The project has earned the ODS Seal, signifying that it meets the requirements of Brazil’s National ODS Movement for compliance with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
Today, Aracaju Bertha Lutz Lions are an example of how small, daily actions can make a big impact on our world. “It’s beautiful to see Lions keeping little caps or seals from their lunches and saving them to put in the collection bins,” says Luamm.
“Sowing kindness is to show hope for humanity. It’s to help the planet—our common home.”
Erin Kasdin is the editor of LION Magazine.
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