Lions Scholarship Trust
Education For Excellence
Who we are, where we come from and Empowering Dreams, Inspiring Excellence
The Lions Scholarship Trust was born from a vision to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to education in Bangladesh. During the 2015–16 Lions year, six District Governors of Multiple District 315 came together with a shared commitment to addressing one of the country’s most pressing challenges: ensuring access to quality education. Under the inspiring theme “Education for Excellence,” a nationwide campaign was launched to encourage children to attend school and support those who faced financial barriers to education.
Across the districts, Lions and Leo Clubs organised educational programmes, seminars, symposiums, debates, essay competitions, teacher training sessions, and school-awareness campaigns. Thousands of school bags and educational materials were distributed to children, including those living in remote communities. These initiatives revealed the scale of educational hardship faced by many talented young people and highlighted the need for a sustainable, long-term solution.
In District 315B4, which serves Chattogram and surrounding areas including the Chittagong Hill Tracts, the “Education for Excellence” campaign was embraced with great enthusiasm. Under the leadership of District Governor Lion Md. Mostaque Hossain, every Lions and Leo Club was encouraged to participate in distributing educational materials to disadvantaged students.
The experience inspired the creation of a permanent project dedicated to supporting talented students from financially disadvantaged families. With the support and cooperation of Lions across the district, Lion Md. Mostaque Hossain established the Lions Scholarship Trust.
On 24 January 2016, the Trust Deed was formally registered, giving the organisation a legal foundation and marking the beginning of its journey to help deserving students continue their education.
A Trustee Board was subsequently formed to oversee the Trust’s activities, with Lion Md. Mostaque Hossain serving as its Chair. Lions members responded generously to the initiative. Some became lifetime members, others donor members, while many contributed financially and supported the development of the Trust’s policies and scholarship programme.
Following the registration of the Trust, extensive work was undertaken to establish transparent rules and procedures for selecting scholarship recipients. In 2017, a newspaper advertisement invited applications from talented but financially disadvantaged students.
The response was overwhelming. A large number of applications demonstrated that the need for educational assistance was far greater than initially anticipated. After a careful selection and verification process, 10 exceptionally talented and financially disadvantaged students were selected to receive scholarships in 2018.
The Trust provides a fixed monthly scholarship directly to the recipients’ bank accounts to help meet their educational expenses. This regular support enables deserving students to continue their studies with greater confidence and reduces the financial burden on their families.
Over the first seven years of the scholarship programme, the Lions Scholarship Trust distributed BDT 63,18,000 in scholarships to talented students facing financial hardship.
The Trust represents more than financial assistance. It is a commitment by Lions to create opportunities for young people who have the ability and determination to succeed but may otherwise be forced to abandon their education because of economic circumstances.
From the first call for “Education for Excellence” to the establishment of a permanent scholarship programme, the Lions Scholarship Trust has demonstrated how collective service, generosity and vision can create lasting change.
The journey continues-with the belief that supporting one deserving student today can help build a stronger, more educated and more prosperous Bangladesh tomorrow.
Education has the power to transform lives, strengthen communities, and shape the future of our nation. The Lions Scholarship Trust was established with a simple yet meaningful vision-to ensure that talented and deserving students are never deprived of education because of financial hardship.
Through the generosity and commitment of our Lions family, we continue to support promising students in pursuing their academic dreams and becoming responsible citizens of tomorrow. Every scholarship represents not only financial assistance but also hope, encouragement, and confidence in a brighter future.
Together, we remain committed to advancing Education for Excellence and creating lasting opportunities for the next generation.
Become a member, volunteer your skills, or support a family today.