Faith in Service

Being Neighbourly talks to Cindy Leung, about Lions Club Hong Kong Cosmopolitan.

Author/ Being Neighbourly
20 June 2026

In 2026, Hong Kong stands at a crossroads. The city is rebuilding its social fabric after years of pandemic isolation, economic shifts, and demographic changes. Community is no longer a ‘nice to have’– it is a psychological and social lifeline,” says Cindy Leung, Charter President of Lions Club of Hong Kong Cosmopolitan. Lions Club International is the world’s largest service organization, with over 1.4 million members globally.

Leung’s inspiration for initiating the Hong Kong Cosmopolitan chapter was rooted in her own experience when, years ago, as an overseas migrant to Hong Kong, she felt the loneliness of being a ‘foreigner’, notwithstanding a decade spent in the territory.

The American Chinese started her bid to feel rooted by joining neighbourhood volunteer groups – church outreach services, and such activities as beach clean ups, elderly home visits and being a Sunday school teacher, but says that despite very good intentions, these activities often, “fizzled out due to lack of structure”.

A handful of the volunteers – four friends, from four different continents – began meeting casually to discuss how we could do more. They discovered that their shared faith in service was stronger than their cultural differences. Inspired by grassroot social workers in Hong Kong’s older districts who work quietly without fanfare, to support new immigrants and ethnic minorities, their own such grassroots energy eventually attracted 20 like-minded individuals and Lions Club Cosmopolitan was born.

For these lions, it’s a shared commitment to eight core pillars: Diabetes, Vision, Hunger, Environment, Childhood Cancer, Disaster Relief, Youth Empowerment and Humanitarian Service that propels their service under the Club’s banner.

“These aren’t abstract categories; they’re our operational compass,” says Leung, adding that they don’t just write cheques – they roll up their sleeves, listen to their local community, and respond with “structured, sustainable action”.

“Whether it’s screening a child’s eyesight, planting trees for ESG, or delivering meals to the elderly, every project we touch falls under one of these eight pillars. For our club specifically, we use this global framework to serve Hong Kong’s underprivileged minorities – bridging the gap between our diverse, internationally-minded members and the local communities who need us most.”

Over the past year, Lions of Hong Kong Cosmopolitan has brought their eight pillars to life through:

· Vision – the ‘Sight for Kids’ programme, screening underprivileged children for undetected eye conditions.
· Hunger – Rice dumpling distributions for the elderly during Dragon Boat Festival, and Mooncake Festival celebrations with Mother’s Choice.
· Youth Empowerment – ‘Youth Path Career Training Camp,’ using gamification to help teenagers navigate their future careers.
· Environment – Tree plantation, a collaboration with Green Earth, directly contributing to their ESG commitments.
· Diabetes & Health – ‘World Stroke Day,’ raising awareness about stroke prevention and post-stroke care, migraine seminars that not affect the elderly and high achievers.
·Humanitarian/Community Service – their work with vulnerable minorities such as Hong Chi Association for SEN children.
· Disaster Relief – During the tragic Tai Po fire last November, the club changed their original Gala dinner theme to dedicate their entire fundraising theme to help victims’ families to rebuild their homes.

Says Leung, “Every project is designed to be inclusive, educational and deeply human – always rooted in one of our eight guiding pillars, but none of this would have been successful without our two guiding Lions from our sponsoring club, the Lions Club of Happy Valley, former District Governor Joseph Ng, and Zone 7 Chairperson, Chester Chu.” Leung continues, “They’re not just our mentors, but our guiding lions who look after us and provide guidance.

The Vision to Truly See

“When we discovered the Lions framework, we realised it gave us three things we desperately needed: global credibility, a proven operational structure, and a shared language of service that transcends borders. What truly sealed the deal was our predominantly English-Speaking Club with the eight-pillar core value structure. It gave us a ready-made, proven blueprint for impact,” says Cindy Leung, Charter President of Lions Club of Hong Kong Cosmopolitan.

“We didn’t have to reinvent the wheel – we could immediately plug our passion projects into a global system that already knew how to scale, measure, and sustain them. Starting a new chapter under that umbrella meant we could preserve our unique cosmopolitan, expat-friendly soul while anchoring it to a 100-year-old legacy. On March 13, 2025, we became the 128th Chartered Club, named Lions Club of Hong Kong Cosmopolitan.”

“As the Charter President of Cosmopolitan, my role is to be the chief weaver – connecting our diverse members to each other, to Lions International, and to the community’s real needs. Together with my team, I oversee strategic planning, ensure every project aligns with our core values, and represent our club in the broader Lions network.”

“My leadership style is with a compass, not a map,” says Leung, adding that she deeply admires global icon Helen Keller. “Despite being deaf and blind, she dedicated her life to advocating for the underprivileged. She famously said, ‘The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.'”

According to Leung, “Expats and locals alike are searching for belonging in an increasingly digital, fast-paced world.” For the underprivileged minorities – ethnic minorities, single-parent families, and the elderly – she says that community means, “not falling through the cracks”. For professionals, “it means reconnecting with purpose beyond profit. In a city as dense and intense as Hong Kong, community is the antidote to loneliness, the bridge across cultural divides, and the engine that drives real, lasting change.”

“Our community appeals to anyone who feels Hong Kong is their home, regardless of their passport,” says Leung. “We are a living mosaic – nine nationalities, 20 founding members, blending Westerners, local Chinese, and returnees from overseas. We attract professionals, entrepreneurs, and retirees who have already built successful careers and now want to pour that experience back into society. They are architects, lawyers, business consultants, chiropractors, realtors, physio therapists, bankers, AI engineers, restaurant owners, skincare products practitioners, retirees, and many others. But more than demographics, we appeal to people who are tired of superficial charity – those who want hands-on, measurable impact and who believe that diversity is not a barrier but our greatest strength. If you’ve ever felt like an outsider, yet deeply love this city, you’ll find a tribe with us.”