The Sunday Mail
Over the Easter Holidays Leo Clubs were engaging themselves in sharing ideas on how to develop their communities. They were giving feedback on the service activities that happened throughout this year. Earlier on during this period, they gave so many commitments and set targets for themselves, and this time around it was a term for evaluation in the presence of a visiting president from District 413 which comprises membership from Zambia.
The Leo Clubs in District 412 are made up of more than 1 000 members in four countries which are Malawi, Mozambique, Botswana and the hosts Zimbabwe. Three of the countries were represented except Mozambique whose service activity has been minimal. The theme for this year was “Inspire and Integrate through service” which followed from the Lions Clubs’ Districts’ theme of “Service Through Integration”. This event therefore is the most important of the year, with clubs converging to vote on a new board, present on the various projects that have been completed through the year and those clubs with outstanding impact in society would be recognised through various awards.
This year has been a particularly unique one. The Leo Clubs under their parent club, the Lions Clubs International, had a delegation represented during the First edition of the African Leaders Forum in Lilongwe. The Leos in this regard, through the Lions Clubs, made a commitment to lead the youths in social integration especially with the disabled. A soccer match was set on the Saturday programme in conjunction with Special Olympics Zimbabwe. The teams included individuals with intellectual disability and also staff from Special Olympics as well as Leos and Lions Clubs members.
“Leading a group of a thousand youths all united to achieve a noble cause for without a financial motive is a challenging responsibility. I have, however, noted that our transformation is a process facilitating a future empowered generation of leaders with a passion of service for others before self and that always keeps every one going. And I am glad the world is also noticing. Our impact keeps on being felt in all facets of service activity through various voluntary service contributions,” said the outgoing president, Leo Pritchard Muzanarwo. This note was part of his valedictory speech which gave a summary of the notable contribution made by Leos in the course of the year at the Awards Ceremony held on Sunday evening at Cresta Lodge.
The key projects carried out during this year included the following:
Sponsorship of a Prize and Speech Day by Regina Mundi Leo Club for St Severino Primary School, 23 students were awarded with prizes to help encourage them through awarding hard work.
Gunhill Leo Club — Their main beneficiary this year was Bumhudzo Home for the elderly. They sponsored a Christmas party, and one of their members, a medical doctor by profession, Dr Tatenda Ruvimbo Nzvenge, donates 4 hours of service every quarter towards conducting medical check-ups to these elderly for free. They also donate BP kits. They donated a 35-litre water boiler for children cancer patients at Parirenyatwa Oncology ward.
Blanket donations: Kriste Mambo Leo Club (together with St Faith’s Leo Club and St David’s Bonda) — donated 20 blankets to Jairos Jiri Mukuvapasi . They also fed 156 people on the day.
Roosevelt Girls’ — conducted eye screening tests.
Okavango International School, Maun, Botswana, was instrumental in conducting the One Shot One Life Measles vaccination and campaign in Botswana. This project was held in conjunction with their sponsoring Lions Club.
Several other individuals were awarded for outstanding individual contribution to the success of the Leo Club Programme in the 4 countries, with Leos Tanya Nzvengende, Rudolph Chairuka and Wilson Chadzamira being awarded bronze, silver and gold respectively.
Several other Lions Club members scooped advisor of the year awards for guiding the successful completion of service projects into notable impact drivers in our communities.
