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Lions Club governor praises Mengi for humanitarian work
2008-01-24 09:21:41
By Bilham Kimati, PST
Lions Club District 411B, covering Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia, Governor Lion Shem Bageine has commended IPP Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi for continued support to underprivileged and other members of the society.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, the governor, who led an eight-strong delegation of top-ranking Lions Club officials in discussion with Mengi at his office, said the IPP chairman deserved acknowledgement for acts of charity which were in line with the Lions Club\'s objectives.
``Mengi has reached the highest level of benevolence, coupled with unfailing humanitarian support to the people. He has the conviction to help others.
The Lions Club highly appreciates the kind of support Mengi extends to children in need of open-heart surgery abroad. Truly, giving to others is doing a favour to yourself,`` Governor Bageine said.
The governor, who comes from Uganda, said he was aware of some rich individuals who were only fond of accumulating wealth, but unwilling to help others.
He said apart from other community development support projects, the Lions Club in Uganda was sponsoring 80 students at various levels of education.
For his part, the IPP executive chairman highly praised the Lions Club, saying for many years it had shown the way by example in supporting various social projects ranging from education, health and water, irrespective of one`s political or religious affiliation.
``It is possible to live forever in people`s hearts. Being generous and caring for others will make any philanthropist be remembered forever after sharing wealth with fellow human beings. I believe that there is more blessing in giving than in receiving,`` Mengi said.
He said members of the Lions Club would live forever for the immense support they extended to communities.
``You (Lions Club members) don`t give out of abundance, but rather from open-handedness to the comfort of many, especially deprived members of the society,``Mengi commended.
Responding to a request by the district governor who asked Mengi to extend medical assistance to Uganda and support at least five children currently in dire need of open-heart surgery abroad, the IPP executive chairman pledged support for ten Ugandan children this year to undergo medical treatment in India.
Meanwhile, commenting on the implementation of a plan to put up a heart institute in Kilimanjaro to save many lives, Mengi said logistical work was in progress and technicians entrusted with the task to plan for the ground work were expected to arrive in the country today (Thursday).
The institute, to be named after his late son, Rodney Motie Mengi, was in the fulfillment of Motie`s dream to establish such a centre to give an opportunity to people in the region to undergo medication with all the anticipated convenience.
In his concluding remarks, Dr Rajin Kanabar, who is the Convenor of Heart Projects - Lions Club for Dar es Salaam hospitals, said every year between five and fifteen children in Tanzania were sent to India for heart surgery and Mengi remained the main sponsor of the medical trips.
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