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South Sudan Scout Association celebrates its full recognition by the Scout Movement

July 2013

Kudumail News from the Africa Scout Region

Inside Highlight South Sudan Scout Association

celebrates its full recognition by the Scout Movement Page 1

From NSOs South African Scouts engage in community based environmental projects Scouts of Burkina Faso expand the MoP Scouting changed my life – Scout’s testimony Africa Scout ICT Badge Design Competition Page 2

Community Development

Scouts visit and clean up Robben Island Page 4

Events calendar

14th World Scout Moot 1st World Scout Education Congress

16th Africa Scout Conference and 7th Youth Forum

Page 4

From ARO Your Views Count: Reactions from Leaders on, “What is the level of Scouting in our activities? It is time to evaluate”

Kano MoP making great strides 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum- Mauritius 2015 Page 3

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SOUTH SUDAN - The South Sudan Scout

Association celebrated its full membership to the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) with the launch of Scouting in Schools program. Under the theme, “Scout for peace unity and development”, the function was held in Buluk athletic grounds and the chief guest was Honorable James Wani Igga who is the Chief Scout. The event saw the investiture of 2000 Scouts, from 15 schools who had also attended a training in Food For Life national program. Honourable James Wani Igga said President Salva Kirr had welcomed the move and asked Scouts to continue preaching the Message of Peace to all South Sudan.

He added that the work for the Scouts was very important and interesting because it works towards peace, stability, nationalism and development and he called for parents to allow their children to join the Scout Movement since it promotes teamwork and brings up responsible disciplined citizens. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Honourable Michael Makuei was also in attendance. He appreciated the Chief Commissioner Mr. Ladu Said Ali for his hard work and dedication in promoting Scouting in the country and termed the Scout Movement as one of the disciplined institutions in the country. The Mayor of Juba, Mr. Mohamed Babala promised to create a Scout desk in the town council and would involve Scouts in keeping the city clean among other activities.

Courtesy of Felix Ayume Hillary

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Kudumail July 2013

© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office

FOCUS ON NSOs

Scouting changed my life – Scout’s testimony KENYA - My name is Paul Mwangi Mwaniki born in 1987 a last born in a family of 4. I was born in Shauri estate in Embu District. My late mother, Dorcas Wakina raised us through the proceeds she got from selling illicit brew. We lived in harsh conditions. My mother wasn't able to take us to school and I dropped from class one in the first school term. It was neither my choice nor my liking to be a street boy. I was just forced by my circumstances so I ended up in the streets. Every dark cloud has a sliver lining. The then Anglican Church Archbishop David

Gitari started a feeding programme in his office and I was among those who benefited from this programme. Later a non-governmental organization Plan International built for us St. Stephen’s Children Home. I was elated by this and got an opportunity to go back to school with the sole purpose of turning my life around. I joined Scouting at St. Stephen’s home. We were

taught to be of good character and practiced basic drills almost daily. I also attended a Patrol Leaders course under the then Scouts Area Commissioner Jimmy Gakuva. We really benefited through the Extension Scouting Programme. Among the major Scout events I attended included Sisi Kwa Sisi Jamboree and the 4th Africa Scout Jamboree through the support of extension Scouting programme. I was a celebrated Patrol Leader in primary and Secondary school. After secondary school, my life at St. Stephen came to an end. I faced other challenges. I was back home determined to try my luck equipped with some basic education. I am grateful to Mr. Josephat Gitonga who accepted my request to assist with manual work at Embu Scout Centre. This I did for 6 months and enabled me to put food on the table and get some savings. I also received unwavering support from the other staff members After doing voluntary work for a long while, I finally got a sponsor and I completed school and was ordained as a priest at Anglican Church of Kenya in Embu. God continued blessing me and I undertook a Bachelors degree in divinity and masters of Arts in Development and Management. All my life and subsequent achievements are attributed to Scouting. My star shone and transformed my life completely. It’s my prayer that God continues to bless those working towards extending Scouting to the less privileged

Africa Scout ICT badge design competition The ICT curriculum is geared towards adding value to the youth programmes of NSOs in Africa by embracing issues related with technological advancement in the youth

programme. Africa Regional Office invites Scouts from all over Africa aged 14 to 26 years to take part in badge design competition and come up with a design that best represents the spirit and unity of Scouts in Africa and encapsulates the centrallity of technogical advancement as a development tool. The winning design will be used as the official Africa Scout ICT curriculum logo

and badge. The winner shall represent Africa in an International Scout event falling closest to the completion of the competition. All entries should be submitted by email to africa@scout.org by 20th September 2013.

South African Scouts engage in community based environmental projects SOUTH AFRICA - SCOUTS South Africa, in partnership with the German Scout Association DPSG, has been encouraging members to initiate community based environmental projects. Provinces, Districts and Groups received and successfully developed and implemented a number of projects that included life skills, Food for Life, global warming and climate change, renewable energy, recycling and biodiversity conservation. For example in Mpumalanga Rovers participated in environmental education camp training which included modules in Sanitation, Recycling, HIV/AIDS, Stars, Energy, Food for Life, Climate change and Weather. The Rovers were taught how they can teach and motivate children. With the skills acquired, the Rovers prepared and facilitated a workshop for 20 pupils. Furthermore two Scouters from Mpumalanga Sally and Chantal started a Scouting Group named 1st ChoChoCho at a Children’s Home that looks after 459 orphans and vulnerable children and 242 Care Givers who are in distress due to poverty. 1st ChoChoCho Scout Group started a project named Kudla

Kiwempilo, meaning

Healthy Food, which included the planting of a

vegetable garden. The vegetables are now used by the Day-Care-Centre. In the Kimberly and Kruman districts in the Northern Cape

environmental awareness and leadership camps were held. The project addressed matters affecting the environment such as climate change, biodiversity, conservation as well as leadership and problem solving skills. Some of the activities included project management and environmental education through games, so they had ‘fun with a purpose’! At Burges Dorp village in the Julesburg District in Limpopo, where unemployment and poverty is high, a Group led by Scouter Catherine conducted training for community members on how to make food gardens. By teaching community members how to establish and maintain food gardens they aimed at providing them with healthy nutritious food and a way to generate income as they can sell the vegetables to make profit. The Group helped about 125 families.

Scouts of Burkina Faso expand the MoP BURKINA FASO – In May 2013, an MoP training session for 30 leaders of Scout units was held at the national headquarters of the Burkina Faso Scout Association in Ouagadougou. The objective of this training was to provide the foundation of writing and managing an MoP project to heads of Scout units so that they are able to also disseminate it appropriately. Since the introduction of the MoP project in Burkina Faso and its adoption by the Scouts of that country, the issue of project management and keeping young people interested and engaged in the promotion of peace in their communities has been addressed. The MoP coordination team has initiated a series of trainings countrywide on the development and management of projects to empower young people and allow them to effectively address the issues in the communities.

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© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office

7th Africa Scout Youth Forum- Mauritius 2015 About the Youth Forum The 33rd World Scout Conference in 1993 adopted a policy on Involvement of young members in decision-making. These policy states that, as a basic principle, Scouting is a movement of young people, supported by adults, it is not a movement for young people managed by adults only. Thus, Scouting offers the opportunity for young people and adults, working together in a partnership of enthusiasm and experience. The policy makes it a responsibility, amongst others, of the World Organization of the Scout Movement to provide opportunities for young adults to participate in decision-making processes. It also offers them training to be effective in such decision-making, and to organize Youth Forums for the experience of views and for the training of young members in appropriate skills. The same Conference adopted resolution 10/93 on Youth Forums, recognizing that such meetings constitute one useful method to completing genuine participation by young people in decision-making at all levels. The same resolution recommended that Youth Forums be held in conjunction with all statutory meetings such as national general assemblies, regional and world conferences, that these Youth Forums make recommendations to and advise statutory meetings and other decision-making bodies; and that Youth Forum delegates also participate in these statutory meetings as delegates or observers. In line with this, Africa will hold the 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum in Mauritius in 2015. Purpose of Forum The 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum, will have the following objectives: To provide an opportunity for the participants to discuss and express their views on issues of interest to them, preparing inputs and making recommendations to the Africa Scout Conference to which the Forum is linked, and to the Africa Scout Committee, to provide an opportunity for the participants to develop the skills necessary to strengthen their capacity to take part in decision-making process, to provide an opportunity for election of Youth Advisors who will form part of the 8th Africa Scout Youth Forum Planning Committee, to provide a training opportunity on Rovering to the participants, to equip the participants with necessary skills to be able to form vibrant National Youth forums and to enable participants to develop their capacities and share on the gains made within the framework of the Messengers of Peace Project within the Africa Region and in their respective National Scout Organizations. 7th Youth Forum Steering Committee The following youth advisors form the steering committee for the 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum: Grace Michuki (greis.michuki@yahoo.com) Kenya-Chairperson, Nathaniel Likabi (likabinathaniel@yahoo.fr) Cameroon-Secretary, Dossou K. Henry Joel (dossjoel@yahoo.fr) Benin, Felana Razanamirindra (frazanamirindra@yahoo.ca) Madagascar, Ester Hilundwa (oumakjie87@gmail.com) Namibia and Liberty Makonese (libertymakonese@gmail.com) from Zimbabwe. National Youth Forum leaders can feel free to get in touch with them in strengthening youth led interventions and participation in decision making through sharing of best practices. Participation to the forum Each NSO is encouraged to send representatives to the Forum. Each NSO is entitled to send two delegates and a maximum of three observers to the forum. Participants to the forum should be aged between 18 to 26 years in the year 2015. Efforts should be made to ensure gender equity is observed when nominating participants. The planning committee may invite youth from other Regions to participate in the Forum. To ensure great participation in the forum, NSOs are encouraged to start preparations in earnest and to come up with strategies of supporting their youth to participate at the forum. Kindly get in touch with us on africa@scout.org so that we can work together in strengthening the national youth forums and deliver a great 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum.

FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE

Your Views Count: Reactions from Leaders on – “What is the level of Scouting in our activities? It is time to evaluate” Here are some of the selected views from leaders across Africa on the issues affecting quality Scouting. Leader Training Schemes: These have to be reviewed so as to respond to the needs and aspirations of young people in a dynamic and changing environment. Some of key aspects in the scheme should cover on professional management of NSOs. Volunteer Retention: Many NSOs grapple with a huge turn over of skilled volunteers and this affects quality delivery of Scouting. Mechanisms should be put in place to ensure that volunteer development and retention mechanisms are embraced by NSOs. Efforts should also be put in place so as to attract professionals to enrich growth and development goals of NSOs Offering Quality content: Youth programmes need to be relevant and address global issues like environment management with local initiatives that involve members of their respective communities. Results based Interventions: Despite massive resources deployed on NSOs activities through local and even ARO support, evidence of significant change is limited. This calls for a paradigm shift from traditional focus o activities to results based approach in managing NSOs projects, programmes and interventions. We appreciate and value these comments as we encourage further interaction on the subject of ensuring quality Scouting in Africa.

Kano MoP making giant strides NIGERIA - Monday the 15th day of July 2013 was another remarkable and spectacular day in the continuous mission of spreading the good works of the Scout Movement, which was launched about a month ago in Kano under the auspices of the Messenger of Peace “MOP”. The former National Headquarter Commissioner for Youth and Empowerment of the Scout movements of Nigeria, Retired Captain Ibrahim Musa Faruk gained another stride in taking the concept of the Messenger of Peace to a higher level by being privileged to wine and dine with the Governor of Kano State, his Excellency, Engr. Dr. Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso at the African House wing of the Government House in Kano. Capt. Ibrahim Musa Faruk had the opportunity of presenting a comprehensive report on the concept and the initiative behind the Messenger of Peace, aims and objectives and the need to make its presence well known in the City of Commerce, Kano. The occasion was a fortunate twin and blessed where the scout MOP team observed the normal “Iftar” with the Governor. Iftar is the Arabic meaning of the breaking of the Muslim fast at the end of a day. The Governor was also invested as a Scout hence becoming a bonafide Nigeria Scout Association Member and a strong and recognized Messenger of Peace. Investiture is the scout ceremonious way of accepting and honouring of new members into the scout association. In addition to the Messenger of Peace report, the Governor was also presented with a 2013 World Scout Bureau Africa Region calendar, beret cap, MoP scarf and a Messenger of Peace identity card. The Governor in his response expressed his delight in accepting the offer to become a full member of the Messenger of Peace as the number one citizen in the state and has pledged to support the Messenger of Peace initiative through the various programs highlighted in the report. The numerous work done and the ones being embarked upon by the Kano state Government in the state represents a true reflection of a Government that has feelings for its people at heart and it also shows the attitude of a typical Scout Messenger of Peace. The occasion was graced by important dignitaries, some of whom are the state executive counsel members of the judiciary headed by the Kano state chief judge of Kano, also in attendance were the state Scout Commissioner Bar. Mujib Rahman, Brigade Commander of third maganize infantry brigade of Nigerian Army, Kano Commandant 303 Airforce Flying Training School Kano, Assistance Inspector General of Police Zone 1 Kano, Commandant Federal Road Safety Corps and the Civil Defence Corps.

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Kudumail July 2013

© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office

Memorable quote "In all of this, it is the spirit that matters. Our Scout law and Promise, when we really put them into practice, take away all occasion for wars and strife among nations" Lord Baden-Powell, Founder of Scouting

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

EVENT

DATES

COUNTRY

14th World Scout Moot

8th – 18th August 2013

Canada

1st World Scout Education Congress

22nd – 24th November 2013

Hong Kong

16th Africa Scout Conference and 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum

2015

Mauritius

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World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office P.O. Box 63070 00200, City Square Nairobi, KENYA

africa@scout.org www.scout.org/africa Skype: worldscoutbureauafrica Phone 1: (+254 20) 728499553 Phone 2: (+254 20) 245 09 85

STAY IN TOUCH!

UPCOMING EVENTS

Scouts visit and clean up Robben Island SOUTH AFRICA - Forty-five Scouts and Adult Leaders visited and cleaned up some of the shoreline on Robben Island on Monday the 8th of July as their 67minute tribute and in preparation of Mandela Day on the 18th of July. The Scouts were from three different Scout Troops throughout the Western Cape - 2nd Bergvliet, 1st Monte Vista and 2nd Somerset West. They decided to honour Nelson Mandela by doing a litter sweep of the shoreline of the island. “On arrival we were given a tour of the island and the prison,” explains Peter Otzen, Troop Scouter 2nd Bergvliet. “It was a very humbling and eye opening experience for all of us. Some areas of the prison, especially Mandela’s cellblock had a very real and eerie feel. It gave me goose bumps!”

After the visit, the Scouts were given a lift to the shoreline where they started to collect the litter and debris. “We collected over 50 big black bags of litter. We also found dead birds, poacher bags, lots of fishing wire and other trash. We were not able to clean up the shoreline completely and it felt like a drop in the ocean after we left,” said Peter. “There is still a lot more work to be done, but we are really happy to have been able to contribute to curbing the effects of the debris for the islands wildlife.” added Fiona Marinus, Scout Leader from 2nd Somerset West. Before leaving the island the Scouts spoke to the conservation experts about possible solutions and the effect the litter has on the local wildlife. Robben Island's unique position ensures that a great deal of debris and litter lands up on its shores, which presents a substantial problem for the local wildlife. Of great concern is the risk which litter poses to the endangered Oyster Catchers, which breed in substantial numbers on the island. “Nelson Mandela is the patron of Scouting in South Africa. He has led by example and this is our way of giving back – over and above the 67 minutes of community service - and thanking him for all he has done. We had a great time, it was inspiring and I hope in future we can do more. After all as Scouts we aim to leave this world a little better than we found it” said a smiling Quintin Combrink, Troop Scouter of 1st Monte Vista. SCOUTS South Africa is an independent, non-profit educational movement dedicated to the development of young people in achieving their full potential as individuals and responsible citizens. Central in this programme is a continuous transference of values such as honesty, loyalty, responsibility, respect; all aimed at governing individual behaviour and the development of strong leadership skills that will equip members to be of service to others and to their communities.

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