Speech by Hon. Dr. Naomi Shaban, EGH, MP.,Minister for Gender, Children and Social Development during the Lions Club International Day and the UN at the UN Complex at Gigiri on Friday 18th March 2011 at 11.00 am

Your Excellency, Hon. Dr. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka, EGH,M.P. Vice President of the Republic of Kenya and Minister for Home Affairs,
Dr. James Nyikal, CBS- Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Development.
Dr. Wing-Kun Tam Vice-President of Lions Clubs International
Dr. Ashok Metha, former President of Lions Club International
Your Excellencies Ambassadors and High Commissioners
Representatives of UN Agencies
Senior Government Officials
Officials and Members of the Lions Club
Delegates
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to join you today at the UN Headquarters – Nairobi to officiate during this auspicious occasion marking the first Lions Club International Day with UN to celebrate 45 years of partnership between the organizations.
At the onset, let me take this opportunity to welcome to Kenya 450 participants from all over the world, and to also congratulate the Lions District 411A in venturing to organize this great event that seeks to broaden its horizon.
There is need to further strengthen partnership between the two International organizations. The government acknowledges and appreciates tremendous contributions that both Lions International and the United Nations have made towards alleviating the plight of the vulnerable groups in the society.

Ladies and Gentlemen,
As you are aware, society needs volunteers to supplement the efforts of the government. The United Nations Agencies and key partners like the Lions Club International are essential to propel the socio-economic development of a nation.
It is thus imperative that all of you gathered here today should maximize on this forum to foster better relations with the Government of Kenya, the UN and the Lions of Kenya for the mutual benefit of your respective countries. This is a great opportunity for mutual sharing of experiences.
I am informed that the Lions District 411A comprising of Kenya, Uganda and Seychelles has an army of 1.4 million volunteers that marshal their resources to provide humanitarian assistance to these countries.
This District of 1500 members has made tremendous contributions in the fields of environment, health, disabilities, education, HIV and Aids. In the area of health, the restoration of sight to hundreds of Kenyans who would otherwise be blind is a remarkable achievement
I am happy to be associated with the numerous projects that the Club has undertaken to create infrastructure to directly assist the government in providing services.
Notably among them is the Loresho Sight First Eye Hospital that is attributed to the good work done by the Club also known as “Knights of the blind”.

In Western Kenya, Sabatia eye hospital has saved many eyes. The Club has also been sending teams of doctors and other professionals to carry out free eye surgeries in various parts of the country.

May I also mention that the first Lions eye bank, the Kanubhai Bahla Lions National Eye Bank has been operationalized; this is a major step forward to restore sight to those who cannot afford to travel abroad for specialized eye treatment. Corneal transplant is too expensive for the majority of the people who need it.

Distinguished Guests
The Lion Club International is no ordinary organization; it participated in the formation of the Non-governmental Organization Charter of the UN 45 years ago, and has since been working closely with the UN in delivery of service to humanity.
It is against this background that the Club is credited internationally as one of the organizations that has made remarkable contribution towards alleviating the sufferings of many, especially the vulnerable groups in developing countries, where resources are scarce.

Ladies and gentlemen
Others programmes include a training school in Ethiopia where they run an ophthalmic nurses course, which supplies nurses all over East Africa.
Lions Club has a history of supporting medical activities not only in    Kenya but East Africa as a whole.  In the medical field the Club has been at the front in a major initiative in measles, malaria and trachoma control.
On HIV and Aid, the club Lions Club has a unique programme commissioned by Lions Clubs International for stopping transmission of the virus from mother to child.  This has had a tremendous success and is a pilot project which will be implemented across the world.
The Club is a also a member of a committee constituted by the National Council for Persons with Disabilities to audit and profile organizations that support Persons With Disabilities in Kenya with a view to awarding prizes to those with exemplary services.  The committee also seeks to strengthen partnership amongst the organizations.
With these remarks, Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to commend the Lion Club International and UN Agencies for their tremendous contributions in the various spheres of national development.  I urge other organization to emulate them and endeavor   to enhance the welfare of the vulnerable members of the Society.
Thank you
God bless