The Lions Club, in collaboration with JP Bayly Trust, donated a total of 42 grocery packs worth $1000 to JP Bayly Trust welfare recipients in Labasa yesterday.
Each grocery pack was filled with basic food items and sweets ingredients enabling recipients to prepare sweets for their families during Diwali.
Labasa Lions Club president Navindra Pillay said the community needed to step up and help support the less fortunate once in a while.
“The calibre of our society is seen from how we treat those who are weaker or are less fortunate than us,” Mr Pillay said.
“Everybody treats people with high status differently compared to the weaker ones and that is not a good reflection on our society as a whole.
“Poor people tend to lack access to education and food security hence they usually have confidence and intellectual issues allowing people to take advantage of them in exchange for their services on top of which they do not have anyone speaking out for them during the process,” he added.
JP Bayly Trust welfare officer Satishwar Chand said he was thankful to the Lions Club for helping assist the poor of the poorest especially during the Diwali season.
“Everybody has been looking forward to Diwali and the recipients within a 20km range in Labasa areas are also grateful for the donation as they now would be able to prepare some sweets for their families this Diwali.