Welcome to a double issue of the Global Spotlight Newsletter, which was on hiatus in December.

There is a lot to report. Several new Clubs were organized over the last two months in South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

The Nepal District now has 29 Clubs with the arrival of three more in the cities of Tarkeshwor, Sangini, and Gorkha. These new Optimists are sponsored by North American Clubs in New Castle, Indiana, Oviedo-Winter Springs, Florida, and Plainfield, Indiana, respectively. The Sangini Optimist Club of Bhaktapur is Nepal's first all-women Club. Our thanks to the Optimists Clubs of Kathmandu and Bagmati for their sponsorship in the country. Optimist International Nepal has also scheduled its first conference for mid-January, 2022 since becoming a District, and its first convention is tentatively scheduled for late April, 2022.

In Africa, the Optimist presence continues to grow in Uganda.

The Nakivale Refugee Settlement Optimist Club is the first Club established in a refugee settlement, sponsored by the New Detroit Unity Optimist Club in Michigan and the KAMP Optimist Club in Uganda.  

There was also new Club activity in the Middle East, where a dozen Clubs now dot the map in Lebanon.

Image from Google Map

The AL Marfraq, El Kfier, and Kfarshouba Optimist Clubs are guided by sponsors from North America St. Louis, Missouri, The Arvada Lakes, Colorado, and the Rio Communities, New Mexico Optimist Clubs. There is also an expansion of the Optimist presence in Egypt with the organization of the Optimist Club of Cairo, thanks in part to the sponsorship by the Silvis, Illinois Optimist Club.

Optimist International wishes to thank all of the sponsor Clubs for their commitment to spreading the organization's mission around the world. 

Our Clubs outside of North America continue to demonstrate their commitment to improving the lives of young people. The Optimist Club of Sri Lanka provided a Christmas meal to 70 orphanage children.

Three Clubs from The Caribbean District worked with the Jamaica Environment Trust for a Beach Clean-Up project at Buff Bay Fishing Beach. 

"It was a huge success, and residents were elated at the major transformation of the beach", - said Northeastern Secretary Janiel Pinnock.

Members of the North Eastern Stars, West Portland, and Sunset Liguanea Clubs worked together to pick up trash.

Meanwhile, the Fusion Optimist Club joined forces with a Kiwanis Club to provide ice cream treats for children. 

The Project was done on Tuesday, December 14, 2021, with Fusion Optimist Club of New Kingston and Kiwanis Club of West St. Andrew for Laura's Basic School located at Baldwin Crescent, Duhaney Park, Kingston.

Education was on the mind of the Mothers of Tomorrow Optimist Club in Jinja, Uganda.

The Club conducted a seminar for young unwed mothers. The Club provided some necessities for the women and a three-hour counseling session. "A project such as this is badly needed because most of these young mothers lose hope in life due to their current situation," said Club Treasurer Joseph Nkalubo. 

Meanwhile, the Optimist Club of Kathmandu had education and membership on its mind as Club Members held their first Meet and Greet.

Nearly five dozen representatives from social organizations, government, the media, and Members of other Optimist Clubs attended the event. They shared their experiences during the pandemic and learned about the Optimist movement in Nepal. 

Optimist International is willing to help your Club plan a meet and greet so you and your Members can spread the positive message of the organization.