Interact Club is a school club formed by students at Kitwe Boys High School. The students help vulnerable people in the community by giving them material and financial support. The resources are raised through member contributions. The current president of the club, Ilunga Kabangula would like to transform this school club into an organization which can make a positive impact in delivering aid to the needy. Kitwe Online spoke to Ilunga Kabangula.
What are your full names?
A: My names are Ilunga Kabangula
When were you born?
A: I was born on 19th October, 1995
What grade are you doing?
A: I am in grade 12 at Kitwe Boys’ High School.
When did you come to this school?
A: I came to Kitwe Boys High School in 2008, in grade 8
What is Interact Club?
A: Interact Club is a club which helps a lot of people in need. They can be students or any member of the society.
When was Interact Club formed at your school?
A: It was established in 2003.
What are the objectives of the Club?
A: To help the needy. To help, encourage and put self confidence in people who are hopeless.
How many members do you have at your club?
A: There are 10 executive members and then there are other ordinary members. They keep joining. I do not know the exact number of members off hand.
How did you become president of the club?
A: I was elected through a ballot after I was nominated by the previous president.
How many people have you helped as a club?
A: In 2004 and 2005 our club donated books, pens and other stuff to a community school in one of the unplanned settlements in Kitwe.
How do you raise your resources to enable you carry out your programmes?
A: We rely on contributions from members. If we have a cause to help, we approach each and every member to contribute some money to enable us meet a particular need.
What are your major challenges as a club?
A: Our major challenge as a club is lack of resources. We are students who have very little money as individuals. Sometimes we may not raise enough money for a single project.
What are your future plans for your club?
A: We would like to register Interact Club as an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization – Editor) so that it can have wider participation from the community. We do not want it to remain a school charity. We would like to open it up so that we can raise enough money to support the needy.
What is your appeal to people who you think can help?
A: Any people who would like to join our organization or those that can render help are welcome. We need to reach out to many people who are in need.
Have you tried to contact former students of your school to help you with donations?
A: We know that some of the former pupils at this school are eminent people in society. We would like them to help and support us. If there are people that we can reach through your website, we would like them to come forward and assist us in championing this noble cause.
What would you like the former students to help you with.
A: As a president I would like to be helped by those former students who have finished school who were members of Interact Club to help us with ideas on how we can make this organization more effective in meeting our objectives. Some of them are not with us yet they are the ones who founded the vision.
How can they contact you?
A: They can reach us through the school address which is Kitwe Boys High School, P.O. BOX 20005 or they can get in touch with me on 0962273885 or 0975136685.
How would you like to be remembered when you leave your post as president of Interact Club?
A: I want to be remembered as a president who opened up the club for wider participation from the community in order to make the club more responsive to the needs of the people.
Do you have any ambition to lead a similar organization in future when you finish school?
A: Helping people is my passion. I would like to set up my own charity after leaving school. I will have gained experience on best practices in charity work through my involvement in Interact while I am a student.
What is your message to other students at your school who are not members of your club?
A: They must come forward to join as members. There are a lot of things that they can learn from clubs like this. They can learn leadership skills and above all they will do well to become good citizens of this country who can contribute to the well being of the less privileged in our society. Education comes with full social responsibility.
Thank you for talking to Kitwe Online.
