After a teacher approached the Nuevo Milenio Lions Club about anemia affecting students, the club leapt into action to reduce the condition’s prevalence among young children. Understanding that anemia is a result of hunger and malnutrition, the Lions conducted a study on the condition and then provided nutritious food so that the children could maintain a balanced diet. Below are the club’s thoughts on the project and its impact.
Q: What was the motivation behind organizing your club’s service project? Was there a specific event or need in your community?
A: A need in our community was what motivated us. The purpose of our service project was to help people who live in extreme poverty—especially children in the town of Cielito Azul-Payet—who had limited access to education and healthcare. Through the PRONOEI (head start program), we learned that about 40 children younger than three years of age were anemic. One of the goals of our project was to provide essential food to these children so they would have a daily balanced diet.
Q: Who directly participated in the project, and what help did the project receive from other clubs, organizations and members of the community?
A: Our club members, with the leadership of our club president, worked with the Educational Management Unit of North Lima (UGEL), nutritionists and the association of teachers and parents to make this project possible. Members of the community also donated food, helped with food delivery and provided breakfasts to the children.
PRONOEI program facility
Q: When did you learn about the need in your community and realize that your service project could address this need?
A: A teacher within the PRONOEI organization informed our club of the need and asked if we would be in position to help the 40 children of Cielito Azul-Payet. The organization had recently conducted an important study of the community, which showed that children younger than three years of age were malnourished and suffering from anemia.
Q: How did your club organize the project? Did you use Lions International and external resources?
A: Our club president, the GST coordinator and members of our club coordinated and organized the service project. We contacted UGEL and PRONOEI and worked together to distribute food and healthy breakfasts to the children three times a week. The members of our club helped directly with the delivery of food and breakfasts along with the children’s parents. Additionally, we started to monitor the children and record their progress to understand the impact of the project.
Q: What were the results of your service project? What impact has it had in the community? Did the project achieve the results your club expected?
A: Yes, the project did achieve the results our club expected. After a follow-up evaluation of the health of the children before and after the project, we learned that 98% of the children improved their health condition. They are no longer anemic thanks to the balanced food the service project is providing them. This service project attracted the attention of the community members, local media, schools and teachers. Additionally, the families recognized the important work our Lions club is doing to improve the quality of life in their community. We promoted the service project on Facebook and WhatsApp, and the club has received recognition by the community as well as others who learned about this project.
To learn more about our 2022-23 Kindness Matters Service Award winners, please visit our website.
Elena McNab is the program development specialist at Lions International.
