Some of the country’s bright-eyed leaders of tomorrow enjoyed a little red-carpet treatment at an awards ceremony in Spin Street last week.
It was a chance to give the youngsters who take part in the Africa Unite School Clubs programme a high five for the work they’ve done.
Africa Unite School Clubs is an NGO that gives school pupils a taste of leadership, developing their communications skills, encouraging volunteerism and bringing positive change to their schools and communities.
The organisation has social clubs in five schools – Spes Bona High School in Athlone, Masibambane Senior Secondary School in Kraaifontein, Zonnebloem Nest in District Six, Simunye High School in Delft and Mountview High School in Hanover Park.
The pupils in the social clubs take part in various community activities to show how they can make a difference.
Each school club is led by an elected club president and five “cabinet ministers” for the portfolios of finance, information, public relations, culture and entertainment, social development, and the environment.The rest of the club is made up of “general parliamentarians”.
At the awards ceremony on Friday December 3, Simunye High won the Best School Club Award and received a trophy and certificates; Masibambane Senior Secondary School won the Most Improved Cabinet Award; Spes Bona High won the Best Fund-raising School Award, and they received a R500 cheque for their clean financial audit; and Zonnebloem Nest Senior received the Most Diverse School Club Award.
Spes Bona High School pupil Vusa Ncanywa, was very excited to be nominated for an award.
“I’ve been with Africa Unite School Clubs for years, he said. “I’m the minister of social development. I do dialogues and talk about daily issues facing the community, and try to put solutions in place. The youth find the talks interesting and they participate.”
