Hunger is borderless. It undermines the health and well-being of millions of people in the wealthiest and poorest countries alike, but it disproportionately affects children. According to UNICEF, severe acute malnutrition accounts for 20 percent of deaths in children under the age of five worldwide. In fact, it is one of the biggest threats to child survival. Unfortunately, over five million children in India alone are affected and Leos have noticed.
Even though daunting problems like hunger are not constrained by borders, neither are Leos.
The Leos of India have seen how this issue impacts children and they care deeply about eliminating hunger in their country, so they are addressing the problem by providing meals and nutrition for those in need—in the hopes that one day no child will worry about their next meal. In an effort to offer one day of respite from food insecurity, over 250 Leos in Kolkata, India, used a US$5,000 Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) Leo Service Grant to prepare, pack and distribute 4,000 boxed lunches to families at the Lions Safari Park in Kolkata.
One Leo-Lion involved in the project, Akshit Bagla, remembers the bright smiles on children’s faces as they received meals that Christmas day. He especially remembers one family with three children. Their toddler started beaming the moment he opened the box of food, which touched Bagla’s heart. For him and his fellow Leos, Christmas was the perfect day to ensure no child went hungry.
“This emotional connection and determination to serve the community brought Leos together,” he said.
The same emotional connection to service that brought Leos together to feed hungry children that day inspired Lions to support the project as well. Past International President Brian E. Sheehan, International Second Vice President A.P. Singh and various other Lion leaders participated in the event, encouraging Leos everywhere to serve with boldness.
Since Leos play such an important role in the mission of Lions, inspiring a commitment to service and developing new leaders for the next generation, Lions are grateful to support their efforts. This community feeding project is only one example, of course. Leos eagerly identify community issues and find innovative solutions to various problems. Luckily, by partnering with LCIF, Leos can utilize Leo Service Grants between US$1,500 and US$5,000 to address many unmet humanitarian needs in their local areas.
These grants are one more way Lions empower Leos and shape an unrelenting belief that they can meet the borderless challenges facing our world by answering the call to service. They serve as a reminder that even though daunting problems like hunger are not constrained by borders, neither are Leos.
Learn more about how LCIF is working to help Lions and Leos alleviate hunger worldwide.
