6th Africa forum: Lions Clubs International expanding footprint across the continent
By Inspirer Correspondent.
Senior leaders and members of Lions Clubs International gathered in Kigali from November 12 to 15, 2025, for the annual Africa Lions Forum, spotlighting the organisation’s expanding footprint across the continent and its growing influence in Rwanda.
The 6th Africa Lions Forum, hosted in Rwanda, known for its dedication to service and inclusive growth, this platform provides valuable lessons in resilience, reconciliation, and renewal.
This year’s theme, “Serve to unlock a self-reliant economy in Africa”, reflects both the Lions’ mission to serve and Africa’s aspiration to take ownership of its own development trajectory.
Participants during the forum at KCC
It brought together around 1,000 representatives of civil society leaders, business leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, public service officials, and others from various continents dedicated to serving the community
Lions are men and women in 200 countries in different geographic locations forming an international network to cater for humanitarian needs.
It has over 1.3 million members and is known for spreading the fight against preventable and reversible blindness; it also undertakes a wide variety of projects for the benefit of local populations.
These projects span from cleaning of local parks to the distribution of relief aid to victims of natural disasters.
Since 1917, Lions Club Association offers to millions of members a way of better serving their communities.
Melvin Jones, a Chicago businessman conceived the idea of the International Association.
In widening its international role, by 1945, Lions Clubs International assisted the United Nations Organization to implement Non-Government Organizations and still holds a consultative status within the UN body .
Other than aiding better sight initiatives, Lions Clubs International takes part in assisting youths, environment conservation, sheltering people with disabilities and provides education ,early detection and support of research on diabetics, conducts hearing projects by providing hearing screening ,and hearing aids, and comes to the rescue of disaster victims by offering disaster relief all over the world.
Addressing members of the press, A.P. Singh, International President of Lions Clubs International acknowledged the organisation’s scale and mission.
A.P. Singh, International President of Lions Clubs International acknowledged the organisation’s scale and mission
“Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organisation, with nearly 1.2 million members in about 200 countries,” he said.
“These are individuals committed to improving the quality of life globally and making the world a safer place for the future.”
The organisation, founded in 1917, has more than 108 years of service history and continues to deliver community-based programmes through its network of roughly 15,000 clubs worldwide.
Africa accounts for nearly 37,000 members across 1,675 clubs, with the first African club established in Algeria in 1952.
Lions leaders highlighted the continent’s long-standing contributions to global causes, particularly in health and vision care.
“Lions in Africa have played an instrumental role in the near eradication of river blindness in several regions,” he noted, citing the establishment of state-of-the-art eye hospitals, including a major facility in Nairobi, Kenya.
Additional eye care centres, schools, vaccination facilities, and youth and women’s empowerment initiatives continue to expand across the continent.
A.P. Singh, International President of Lions Clubs International acknowledged the organisation’s scale and mission
Rwanda currently has two clubs reporting a rapid growth and a series of planned projects.
“The Lions in Rwanda are already working on major initiatives, including a childhood cancer ward that will allow children to stay with their parents during treatment,” he said.
This year’s Africa Lions Forum brought together Lions from across the region to share success stories, exchange best practices, and discuss strategies for expanding service activities.
The event was attended by several high-ranking leaders, including former International President Fabrício Oliveira., First Vice President Mark S. Lyon, and International Vice President Dr. Manoj Shah of Nairobi, who is set to become Africa’s first International President in less than two years.
“This organisation is for anyone with a heart to serve and a desire to give back,” Singh said, emphasising the role of the Lions Clubs International Foundation, which supports clubs and districts in implementing large-scale humanitarian projects.
Africa continues to produce influential leaders within the organisation.
The Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) strives to create and foster a spirit of understanding among all people. At the heart of its mission is the belief that communities grow stronger when compassion and cooperation guide human relationships.
The foundation also works to promote good governance and responsible citizenship. By encouraging ethical leadership and civic engagement, LCIF helps build societies that are both accountable and inclusive.
Another important aim is to raise moral standards and improve social welfare. LCIF supports programmes that uplift communities, protect vulnerable groups, and promote values that strengthen the social fabric.
The organisation places great emphasis on unity, seeking to bring together members of Lions clubs through friendship and mutual understanding. This fellowship fuels the teamwork needed to serve effectively.
LCIF also aims to create platforms for discussing matters of public interest, as long as those matters are not political. These spaces allow communities to identify their needs and explore solutions collectively.
Finally, the foundation encourages members to serve without seeking personal gain, demonstrating professionalism, integrity, and high moral values in everything they do — whether in business, industry, public service, or private enterprise.
Rwanda’s governance board commends Lions Club’s contribution
Doris Uwicyeza Picard, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Governance Board, has commended Lions Club for projects with impact on communities.
“Since its origins in Rwanda in 1959, with the late King Mutara III as a founding member, the Lions movement in Rwanda has remained a steadfast partner in advancing health, education, community empowerment, and solidarity, the values that strongly align with our governance model,” Uwicyeza said.
She noted that the contributions are visible and tangible , from establishing the ophthalmology ward at CHUK to building schools and dormitories, supporting technical education programmes, empowering vulnerable youth, and partnering with diaspora institutions to honour the memory of Genocide victims.
“It is encouraging to see organisations that continue to prioritise empathy and service. The guiding principle of governance in Rwanda is Umuturage Ku Isonga, which means ‘The Citizen First’. These are not mere slogans.
They reflect a shared conviction: that leadership must be rooted in dignity, empathy, inclusion, and accountability, and that service to others is the highest expression of humanity,” she said.
The forum was held under the theme: Serve to unlock a self-reliant economy in Africa, which reflects both the mission to serve and Africa’s aspiration to take ownership of its own development trajectory.
“At the Rwanda Governance Board, we strengthen citizen participation, enhance accountability, and ensure that our institutions remain capable, responsive, and people-centred. The philanthropists’ work contributes directly to the governance ecosystem, complementing national efforts, reinforcing social cohesion, and supporting community ownership.”
The club takes part in assisting young people, conserving the environment, sheltering people with disabilities, and providing education. It also supports early detection and research on diabetes, conducts hearing projects by providing screening and hearing aids, and comes to the aid of disaster victims by offering relief worldwide.
“We look forward to continued collaboration in health, education, environmental sustainability, and economic empowerment. Working with local leaders, Lions Clubs can ensure that service projects align with district priorities and contribute meaningfully to citizens’ well-being.
The Rwanda Governance Board stands ready to facilitate these partnerships through coordination mechanisms that promote transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery,” Uwicyeza added.
Kigali Doyen Lions Club
Kigali Doyen was created in 1959 and received the OAK BROOK Charter on 15th December 1960. It will celebrate its 65th anniversary this year. Burundi, DR Congo and Rwanda forms District 409 of Lions Club international Foundation.
Theonest Mwunguzi, First Vice President of Lions Club Kigali, outlined different projects serving the Rwandan community, including children with diabetes and cancer.
Some of the projects include building an ophthalmology ward at CHUK and supplying medical equipment for eye examination and surgery, constructing Karembure Sunshine Primary School, supporting repair and sewing workshops for youth, building dormitories at ADB Secondary School in Nyarutarama, providing water supply to Collège Saint André in Nyamirambo, distributing learning materials in Braille for blind students, and supporting the Cataract Screening Campaign at the Ophthalmology Department of CHUK, among others.
They also include Youth skills Training in partnership with UN Women and NGO «Akazi Kanoze.», detection and fight against breast cancer project ,Donation for victims of disaster in western province, Food supplies, medicines, and mosquito nets for the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage (Sisters of Calcutta) and Donations to Centre des Enfants de Dieu in Ndera which accommodates Streets children.
Africa Lions Forum
This Forum started in 1987 in South Africa with the purpose of unifying the Lions across Africa in order to promote among others, visibility and advocacy, collaboration, leadership development, youth empowerment, cultural exchange and unity, partnerships and service excellence.
The second Forum gathered in 2021 in Dar-es salaam. The third Forum was located in Hammamet, Tunisia in 2022. The fourth Forum took place in Accra, Ghana in 2023.
The fifth Forum happened in Marrakech, Morocco (Nov 2024). The sixth Forum is scheduled in Kigali, Rwanda the 12-15th November 025 with a participation of 800 people.
Every year, a world convention gathers the delegates of all the countries. This year in June, the Orlando Convention (USA) gathered nearly 9,500 Lions of 150 countries.
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