August 2013
Kudumail
FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE Kenya and UK Scouts strengthen Scouting ties
Together We Can
KENYA – Kenya Scouts Association hosted a contingent of 74 Explorer Scouts from Essex and Hampshire in the UK for a two-week long camp dubbed, ‘UKenya Camp 2013’. The Camp also incorporated Kenyan Rover Scouts who were mainly offering essential services in the camp and sharing experiences with the visiting Scouts.
SOUTH AFRICA - In April 2004, former South African President, Nelson Mandela was presented with the honour of being named the Patron of Scouting South Africa. In accepting the prestigious role, Mandela said that, “ The Scout movement is a world leader in youth education, and has particular relevance to the needs of youth in Africa and the emerging democracies around the globe.
The camp was held at Rowallan Camp, the headquarters of Kenya Scouts Association, from 27th July to 9th August. With the theme, ‘Making a difference, Kenya 2013’, the camp provided an ideal opportunity for the Kenyan and UK Scouts to re-ignite their historic connections and renew the Scouting spirit. Together with the Kenyan Scouts, the UK explorer Scouts engaged in an array of activities that included community outreach activities in Kibera Slums which happens to be the largest urban slum in Africa, tree planting in Ngong hills and adventure hikes in different places in the country. They paid a courtesy call to the World Scout Bureau, Africa Regional Office where they got introduced to the staff and their diverse portfolios as well as getting to know how they are improving Scouting in the region. They also visited the grave of the Founder of the Movement in Nyeri and laid a wreath while also touring the Paxtu museum, which is close by. “The visit has helped us form a new partnership with Kenya and renew the promise of Scouts. There is every need for us to be together enhancing the ties between the two countries. The partnership will help us promote international peace and cooperation in our endeavor to create a better world”, Dr. Steve Foster, who’s the Kenya Scouts Association National Treasurer and a UK National said. The Scouting relations between Kenya and Britain date back to early 1900’s when the founder of the movement, Lord Baden Powell, first visited Kenya in 1906. In 1935 he came for the second time on Safari and in 1938 he made up his mind to live in Nyeri, Kenya until his death on January 8, 1941. He was buried in Nyeri, in the compound of St. Peter’s church.
3
I
am pleased with the progress of Scouting in South Africa, and in the steps that are now being taken to make the programme accessible to more young people. The importance of a high moral code, which is at the foundation of the Scout movement, cannot be stressed too highly."
In honouring the patron of the Movement and doing their bit for Mandela Day, the Chatsworth Scout Troop held a 67 minutes of service of Can and Nonperishable collection for the underprivileged of Chatsworth and Shallcross. Troop Scouter Previn Vedan stated that the group titled the project ‘Together We Can’. Vedan added that the Scouts set a target of 1000 can foods and nonperishables for the project. The Scouts went about encouraging their friends at school and family members to assist and become part of the project and also set up a drop off point at the Ridge Shopping Centre on two Saturdays, the 20th and 27th of July, in which community members would stop by to drop their contributions, chat with the Scouts and even brush up on their knotting. The troop surpassed their set target and wishes to thank the community for their contributions and assistance. Vedan said that the project showed that, Together We Can, could do anything as a community. The beneficiaries of the project were the Missionaries of Charity, Shallcross and the Welbedacht Enrichment Centre.
© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office