What is an Interact Club?

Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people age 14-18. Interact Clubs can either be school or community based and are required to carry out at least two service projects annually; one which serves their school or community and another that furthers international understanding. 

Although each club is sponsored by a local Rotary club whose members offer guidance, Interact clubs are responsible for planning, financing, organizing, and executing their own projects.

Report from the President:

Nowadays, most citizens in Hong Kong have a high living standard. However, there are still many people who need others’ help and concern, such as the handicapped, the mentally disabled, the elderly, and also the new immigrants. Although our effort and contribution are little, we should still try our best to show our care and concern for them.

In order to achieve the above aim, the Interact Club of Ying Wa College conducts a variety of voluntary service projects for the needy. Besides showing their care & concern, Ying Wa students can develop leadership skills, personal integrity and have their horizons widened and understand the community affairs more.

In the past years, our Interact Club conducted many charity service programmes like visits to homes for the elderly and the School for the Deaf. This year, we will continue offering a variety of services for the deprived people in society.

In the year 1998-1999, 6 service projects were carried out. They were Christmas project, Lunar New Year project, Easter project, Summer Local project, Summer trip and Sisters’ School Concern Scheme.

Christmas Project: This project is to bring a merry Christmas to the deprived children in Shek Kip Mei by providing them with exciting games and a meaningful visit to the Holiday Farm. Besides, we hope our student workers can learn more and further promote the concern for community affair through this voluntary service. 
(Partners In Service: St. Rose of Lima’s School)

Lunar New Year Project: This voluntary service activity is organized for the elderly in Hong Kong Chinese Christian Church Union Kwun Tong Kwong Yum Home For The Aged. A variety of funny and enjoyable activities are planned to celebrate Lunar New Year with the elderly and bring happiness to them. We want to encourage the elderly to take part in more activities for leisure and fun, which in turn encourage them to redevelop an open and optimistic character. 

Besides, this activity gives a chance to our student workers to learn how to communicate with the elderly and show our respect to the elderly. 
(Partners In Service: St. Catharine’s School for Girls, Kwun Tong)

Easter Project: The main aim of this service project is to let the the workers of the two schools serve our society and arouse their concerns for the elderly. Through this project, we can understand different people from different walks of life. By providing the elderly with various recreational activities, we can send them the message that the youngsters nowadays still respect and care about them. We hope that they can learn to communicate with others more effectively after interacting with our workers and other participants in the programme. Also, we hope they can think in a more optimistic and positive way after participating in this project. 
(Partners In Service: Maryknoll Convent School)

Summer Local Project: A group of 36 secondary six students gained firsthand experience of rural life in Qingyuan of Northern Guangdong from a trip named「情濃神州」. This trip was carried out from 14 to 21 of July in 1999, and was jointly organized by the Interact Clubs of Ying Wa Girls’ School and Ying Wa College, headed by the Methodist Center.

As a small backward farming village in China, the destination of the trip, the Tai Lin village in Qingyuan, has limited resources and a poor living environments. The participants would gain an enjoyable and memorable experience and see a different way of life. In addition, with tutorial classes, interest groups and variety shows conducted, they could serve the pupils in the locality and communicate with the secondary students. Besides, the participants spent wholly 3 days living with host families there, attempting to work with the farmers in the farmland and visiting the rather poor families. They expressed their deep and sincere concern about the living conditions, difficult circumstances and livelihood of them.

Exhibitions and presentation were conducted. A memorial magazine was published to share the valuable experience of the trip with fellow school mates in Hong Kong and arouse their concern for the poor in China. 
(Partners In Service: Ying Wa Girls’ School)

Summer Trip: By organizing a series of activities, like site-visits, indoor games, civil educational activities, etc. we want the deprived children to enjoy a happy and meaningful summer time. We would also like our workers to realize the importance of a happy family.

This is a good opportunity to train the communication skills, service skills and leadership of our workers. We can also train the organizational skills of our committee members. Furthermore, friendships of the two organizing schools can also be enhanced. 
(Partners In Service: Ying Wa Girls’ School)

Sisters School Concern Scheme: This scheme had been held throughout the whole year. We hope we can develop and maintain friendships between Interactors and the hearing-impaired pupils and provide social support to them. 
(Partners in Service: The Hong Kong School for the Deaf and Po Oi To Middle School)

At last, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to all Rotarians of our mother club -- the Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile -- for their sincere and continuous support.

CHIU Pak Wing
Club President.