I am sincerely grateful to my friends DG Lion BS Nagaraj and Lion Anil Kumar of District 317f Bangalore, India for inviting me to attend the GIVE Conclave and for offering me the warmest hospitality. This experience has truly been memorable, and I am deeply appreciative.
About the GIVE Conclave
The GIVE Conclave is a remarkable initiative where over 130 Lions Clubs, in collaboration with the Lions India Service Trust, unite to showcase humanitarian projects from various regions across India. During the Expo, Lions Clubs, along with distinguished organizations and corporations, present outstanding community work spanning diverse sectors. These initiatives, ranging from innovative projects addressing significant societal issues to inspiring tales of transformation, provide attendees with motivation and inspiration. The conclave aims to bring together community workers, enablers, grant makers, CSR experts, philanthropists, and workers from non-profit organizations.
My Experience
I arrived in Mumbai on the evening of the 27th, utterly exhausted from my flight, and only reached my hotel at 10 PM. Despite my fatigue, I managed to wake up by 6:30 AM to prepare for my first day at the convention. I arrived at the venue around 8:30 AM, greeted by good vibes and the incredibly friendly Lions of India, who instantly made me feel at home with their warm presence.
The Lions in India live by the saying, “photo is our motto,” and embody it completely. I spent the entire day smiling for photos because everyone wanted to capture a moment with me. When I say everyone, I truly mean it. Despite spending the entire day at the GIVE Conclave event, I couldn’t explore even a third of the stalls, but fortunately, I still had another day to continue my exploration.
The second day of the GIVE Conclave maintained the cheerful and amazing vibe from day one. Although I was very tired and woke up late, I managed to reach the venue by 11:30 AM. Connecting with Lions from across India was a truly wonderful experience, and my heart expanded with each delightful interaction. Some even brought me food from their homes and invited me to visit their states. I now feel like I need a year off to visit the different states of India and honor my invitations. These experiences filled my heart, and I absolutely love India. I have been to 8 states in India already, and my heart longs for more! Haha!
I was particularly delighted to meet PID Dr. Manoj Shah at the conference, my dynamic leader and VP Endorsee, who was also the only other Kenyan at the event! He’s not only representing Kenya but Africa and the whole world. 🌍
Thank you, Lions of India, for an unforgettable experience.
