April 2012
This year Lions Club Maastricht Mondial raffle supports 3 children's projects during the MayFair 2012:
‘t Steintje: Daily support for mentally handicapped children from 0-7 years old
Make-a-Wish: Supporting children with life threatening illnesses
Umthombo Wesizwe: Support pre-teen children to mature into ethical leaders, responsible adults and active citizens within the (South African) multicultural society
Lions Club Maastricht Mondial (LCMM) Projects: “Making a Difference”.
March 2011
Hans Rasmussen, Donations Chair: "The donations policy of Lions Club Maastricht Mondial is based upon the maxim of “making a difference”. With the exception of a few Lions International projects where we gladly contribute (e.g. the Tsunami of 2005, where Lions worldwide donated US$ 6 million) we carefully select our own LCMM projects and manage the support to make sure that the money is well spent and really does “make a difference”.
Some past and current projects supported are…
Sisters of Mercy Ear Hospitals, Ethiopia. Two clinics treating sufferers of endemic ear conditions in Ethiopia run by a former Professor of Ear Nose & Throat Surgery and a fellow surgeon from the Netherlands, who devote several months a year of their own time to train local doctors and nurses. This has been a long-term LCMM project which from 2002 thru 2010 has benefited from more than €25,000 in support from Lions Club Maastricht Mondial in collaboration with the Dutch Government Organization Cordaid. LCMM and Cordaid were this project’s only sources of funds and has been essential for its success.
Cedric Paulussen Foundation: A project by the University Hospital of Maastricht, to develop and build a crash safe and incentive care like mobile pediatric unit dimensioned and dedicated for transport of critically ill or injured children. Lions Club Maastricht Mondial donated the first €10,000 to seed a foundation to raise funds for this €350,000 project. In the meantime the first unit has been delivered and 7 more are now being built for the other university hospitals in the Netherlands.
St Vincentius Foundation, Maastricht: LCMM donated €2000 to fund food for people in need, including Christmas hampers.
Stichting Impulse: A Maastricht foundation providing short term shelter for individuals who unexpectedly through circumstances become “homeless”. The need for a kitchenette on the third floor allowing residents to prepare meals or simply make a cup of coffee was provided for when LCMM donated €5000 to fund the purchase and work to install a kitchenette and a coffee machine.
AZM Maastricht projects:
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Swing for disabled children: A LCMM €4000 project donated and installed a special swing for disabled children at the children department,
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2009 Charity Gala Event on St Valentine’s Day, the children’s cancer department to bring essential comforts for the children and their parents.
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2010 Charity Gala Event: 100% of the profits were donated to secure funding for eight nurses of the children’s oncology ward for specialist training so that the children will continue to have the best care available.
Franciscusoord in Houthem: Day out for ‘Duchenes Syndrome’ kids from the ‘Franciscusoord’ in Houthem: These children suffer from a rare form of muscular dystrophy and are bound to wheelchairs with special breathing equipment. Getting them out is a challenge. In 2006, LCMM arranged a specially equipped bus and took them for a day out to the Burgers Zoo in Arnhem. Apart from the costs of €3000, LCMM members and nurses devoted a day’s free time to go with them.
And a little can go a long way too...
Cataract operations in South Africa: The Lions Club in Worcester, South Africa, arranges ophthalmic surgery to treat very common cataract conditions amongst the poor. Local surgeons provide their time free of charge, so it costs merely US$110 to save a person’s sight. But the need is huge. LCMM donated US $1100 to finance 10 operations in 2006 did the same again in 2008.
Ecology and English summer camp in Kazakhstan: A three-week summer camp in Kazakhstan in cooperation with the US Peace Corps for 30-40 students between 6 and 17 years of age where they learn English and address ecological issues, a major problem in highly polluted Kazakhstan. Lions Club Maastricht Mondial has annually funded this camp with €750 since 2003. An example of where a little money can achieve a great deal.
DVD player for the ‘Franciscusoord’ centre for disabled children: Again, a little can do a lot. The children’s video recorder had “played its last tape” and a replacement was needed. €299 bought them a DVD home cinema system. In 2007 we followed with a PC and an Internet connection to give them more access to the outside world.
Kindervakantiewerk Hulsberg: €700 to pay for the bus to take a group of deprived children on a holiday.
Hospital in Cambodia: The staff of this hospital modernized a ward in their own time. €600 from LCMM bought the materials they needed.
Project Cool Kids, Aachen: A project to provide facilities and therapy for youngsters with behavioral disorders in Aachen, LCMM donated €500 to this project, where most of the “work” is done by volunteers
