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January 2012

Kudumail

News from the Africa Scout Region www.scout.org/africa

Scouts and Girl Guides gather in Burundi for peace

Inside Highlight

Scouts gather in Burundi for Peace Page 1

From NSOs

News from Angola, East African Zone, Burundi Page 2

From ARO

Food for Life project in West Africa European volunteers support Jamboree preparations Page 3

Community Development

Ugandan Scouts and UNICEF partner to fight child mortality

© WSB-ARO/FILE

Page 4 Events calendar

Africa Scout Day 2012.

15th Africa Conference.

6th Africa Jamboree.

Page 4

FREE VISA TO ANGOLA! DEADLINE:

5 FEBRUARY 2012 kikasmax@gmail.com. Pg. 4

GITEGA - As the sound of ‘Ingoma’ (Burundian drum) reverberated to herald the approach of the 6th Africa Scout Jamboree, over 600 Scouts and Guides assembled in Gitega, Burundi. They came to participate in the 2nd International Peace Gathering, held from 26th December 2011 to 2nd January 2012, under the auspices of the Burundi Scout Association and of the Amahoro-Amani Project. The participants were drawn from both Girl Guides and Scouts from five countries of the Africa Great Lakes Region, namely Burundi, D.R. Congo, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda. Guests from Sweden and France were also in attendance. The gathering was held at Bungere Scout camp, the site for the upcoming 6th Africa Scout Jamboree (28 July – 5 August 2012). The gathering’s main aim was to sensitize the Scouts and Guides on the importance of peace and, by so doing, recruit more community mediators. Hon. JeanJaques Nyenimigabo, the Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture graced the event and read the President’s speech that congratulated the young people on their love for peace, encouraging them to spread peace in the region, before officially opening the nine day event. Also in attendance was Mr. Frederic Tutu Kama-Kama, the Regional Director, World Scout Bureau-Africa Regional Office, who read the keynote address from Mr. Luc Panissod, the Secretary General, World Organization of the Scout Movement, who encouraged the participants to spread peace. Other guests included the Provincial

Governor, the Regional Commissioner of police and Regional Administrators from Makebuko, Buruza and Itaba, the Director of the Amahoro Amani Project, the Chief Commissioners of Scouts and Guides of Burundi, Rwanda and D.R. Congo. Participants were divided into sub-camps namely: Mikeno, Ngomo, Rinkaby, Teza and Nyamagumba, named after mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sweden, Burundi and Rwanda.

Partners of Amahoro Amani and Burundi Scout Association facilitated workshops in the Global Development Village (GDV). They included Sport Sans Frontières Burundi (Sports Without Borders Burundi), the Association Burundaise des Etudiants en Médecine (Burundi Association of Students of Medicine), the CEDEJ-GL: Cercle d’Echange pour le Développement des Jeunes des Grands Lacs (Think tank on Youth Development in the Great Lakes), the FADI: Femmes en Action pour le Développement Intègre (Women in Action for Integrated Development), the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Burundi.One of the highlights of outdoor activities was the visit to the Karera waterfalls. This was followed by the sensitization of Community Mediators on their roles in the Amahoro Amani Project and in peace clubs. At the end, participants demonstrated their understanding through short plays. By the end of the camp, new friends were made, cultures exchanged and to mark the end of the event, two doves were symbolically released. This leaves the venue ripe for the upcoming 6th Africa Scout Jamboree where the whole continent will gather from 28th July to 5th August 2011.

January 2012

Kudumail

FOCUS ON NSOs About 2 million young people set to celebrate Africa Scout Day The year 2012 is set to be a very busy year on the calendar of Scouting in Africa. This is because 4 major regional events will be held on African soil.

One of them is Africa Scout Day. In less than two months, the Africa Scout Day celebrations will take place on the 13th of March 2012 around the continent where each of the 37 National Scout Organizations will conduct a program revolving around the theme: ‘Educate, Transform, Develop’.

The 13th March was declared Africa Scout Day by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, OAU (now AU) at its 62nd Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 21st – 23rd June 1995.

The OAU council recognized that the Scout Movement was the largest movement for the young people, a movement that has proved its mettle in the area of education and moulding of young people, as well as in training of adults, hence the decision to have a day to honour the Scout Movement. At the regional level, the main celebrations will be held in Luanda, Angola at the Dream Space Resort. The programme will run from the 9th to 11th March 2012.

Scouts are expected to pay a fee of 25 USD and will be involved in communal activities as well as debates and presentations on various issues affecting the continent. Participants will get free “courtesy” visas if they submit their scanned passports by 5th February 2012. For those planning to attend the 6th Africa Scout Youth Forum and the 15th Africa Scout Conference they should send their scanned passports by 20th April 2012 to kikasmax@gmail.com For more details please visit:http://scout.org/en/around_the_world/africa/ information_events/news/2011/africa_scout_day_2 012_educate_transform_develop

Using sports to break social barriers Burundi Scout Association has entered into partnership with Sport sans Frontières (Sports without Borders) to promote sports as a means to overcome social barriers. As a result of this partnership, Sport sans Frontiers joined the Scouts and Girl guides from great lakes to celebrate the second international peace gathering that took place in Bungere Scout Camp in Gitega, Burundi.

Representatives of the partner organisation facilitated a series of peace workshops that focused on breaking social discrimination and promoting mutual respect, openness, acceptance and socialization through sports. Sport sans Frontières is a French organisation that seeks to inculcate values in the youth aged 7-18 years through various sports. In operation in Burundi since 2008, it has succeeded in rehabilitating 240 Burundi child solders and the work is still in progress. Sport sans Frontiers believe in making animators out of young people who are the leaders of tomorrow. Burundi is the only country in Africa where the Sports sans Frontières have set base. However, plans are underway to spread wings to Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo.

East Africa Zone holds its 15th Zonal Conference and 6th East African Youth Forum

Cost of travel from your NSO, to Luanda, Angola!

Tanzania was a beehive of activity even as many Scouts the world over were preparing for the festive season. From the 9th to 13th December 2011, the Tanzania Scout Association opened its doors to delegates from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi who were participants in the 15th East Africa Zonal Scout conference, 6th East African Scout Youth Forum and the inter-patrol competitions.

Mr. Bansadja Banafai, the Deputy Regional Director, World Scout Bureau-Africa Regional Office, was in attendance and read the keynote address from the Regional Director where he highlighted the ongoing initiatives like the Messengers of Peace Project, forthcoming regional events like the Africa Scout Day, 15th Africa Scout Conference, the 6th Africa Youth Forum and the 6th Africa Scout Jamboree urging the NSOs within the zone to fully participate.

Also in attendance was Hon. Dr. Shukuru Jumanne Kawambwa, the President of Tanzania Scout Association, who is also Tanzania Minister for Education and Vocational training.

The participants shared on best practices and learnt vital lessons on strengthening their NSO’s and at the end; they came up with several resolutions that were geared towards helping raise the standards of Scouting.

The youth forum had delegates from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The forum provided them with an opportunity to share ideas and experiences, learn about issues affecting them and be conversant with WOSM decision-making structures and processes.

The zonal competitions that ran concurrently with the conference and forum were an opportunity for respective national champions to show case the best of Scouting in their countries.

The participants were taken through different bases, projects and tasks that were in line with the Scout Programme giving the competitors an opportunity to put in practice creativity, organizational skills, team work, innovation, general knowledge and also soft skills and life skills which are vital for the youth today.

Physically challenged Scouts were not left behind and this was a great indicator of reaching out in Scouting.

Kindly note these fares are tentative and are subject to change. Your NSO is encouraged to plan for these expenses.

Benin - USD 2515 Botswana - USD 685 Burkina Faso - USD 2240 Burundi - USD 1885 Cameroon USD 6890 (without overnight in Jo’burg) USD 1490.00 (overnight Jo’burg at traveller’s cost, visa required) Cape Verde - USD 4000 Chad - USD 2196 Comoros - USD 2750 DRC - USD 3676 Cote d'Ivoire - USD 1535 Ethiopia - USD 1540 Gabon - USD 1575 Gambia - USD 2860 Ghana - USD 1100 Guinea - USD 2310 Kenya - USD 935.00 Lesotho - USD 800 Liberia - USD 3095 Madagascar - USD 1665 Malawi - USD 1740 Mauritius - USD 1380 Mozambique - USD 900 Namibia - USD 665 Niger - USD 1980 Nigeria - USD 1275 Rwanda - USD 1275 Senegal - USD 2165 Seychelles - USD 1675 Sierra Leone USD 3560 South Africa- USD 675 Swaziland - USD 860 Tanzania - USD 1280 Togo - USD 1240 Uganda - USD 865 Zambia - USD 930 Zimbabwe USD 1140

Ambassador Nicholas Kuhanga, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of TSA, closed the competitions with a stunning speech, attributing most of his achievement in life to Scouting. The Conference, Youth Forum and Inter-patrol competitions are important events in the East African zone that take place every year. The next host will be Uganda in 2012.

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© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office

January 2012

Kudumail

FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE Food for Life Project enters year two in West Africa Food for Life project was launched in Benin and Niger in the month of May 2011.

Supported by the Soumen Partiolaiset - Finland’s Scouterry (SP-FS) through the World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office, the project aims at reaching 3,000 Scouts in the two National Scout Associations and equipping them with agricultural skills to enable them to grow their food and as an income generation activity. For the first year the project has reached 500 scouts in each of the two countries who are at various stages of the project. The project employs the Principles of Bio-intensive Agriculture for sustainability under fewer resources. It also emphasizes on the nutritive value of various food crops to contribute to fight against nutrient deficiency diseases.

The agriculture project is aimed at contributing towards the acquisition of food security in Africa using the Scout Method and is structured in three progressive stages: Starter, Silver and Gold. At the end of each stage, a Scout is awarded competence badge and is allowed to progress to the next stage. Various skills, such as land preparation, soil fertility maintenance, caring for various crops, crop rotation, crop pests and diseases control, are transferred to the scouts at different stages.

By the end of Starter stage a scout is able to grow a single variety of crop to harvest while at the Silver stage the scout practices growing more than one crop while employing various principles such as companion planting and crop rotation.

By the end of the Gold stage, the scout is capable of growing more crops in larger quantity and using the extra crop produce for income generation while employing the entrepreneurial skills learnt. The project is looking forward to graduating the first class of the scouts at Gold level by the month of March 2012 recording the impact of the project as the scouts start to reap the benefits of the project in terms of supplementary food and income for their families.

European volunteers support the preparations for the 6th Africa Scout Jamboree As a voluntary organization, Scouting highly depends on its volunteers. And Gael Audras, a 25-year-old Scout from France is one such volunteer who has travelled all the way to Burundi to help in the preparations of the 6th Africa Scout Jamboree. He is supporting the communication aspect of the jamboree and, being his first time in Africa, he is also looking forward to learn from the local community. Soon, Burundi will welcome another set of volunteers (from Sweden) who will also support the preparations for this regional event.

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© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office

January 2012

Kudumail

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Memorable quote

Ugandan Scouts and UNICEF partner to reduce child mortality through technology Angola

Thanks to a partnership between the Uganda Scout Association and UNICEF that seeks to eliminate child mortality, a project dubbed U-Report (You report) was launched. This initiative encourages the community in Uganda to report on various issues affecting the children.

U-report has enabled communities to report on the various issues affecting children using an SMS questionnaire that only works in Uganda. Scouts go around on a recruitment drive and for one to join, they need to send the word ‘JOIN’ to 8500 and questions on various issues affecting children are asked. In cases where the children cannot access mobile phones, the schoolteacher’s mobile phone is used in class and children are able to express their views. A weekly evaluation is done and the best response is shared across the country through the newspapers while arising questions are referred to relevant authorities for answers.

Regular tallying systems helps UNICEF find out any outbreaks and diseases in the country. So far, the five month old project has registered over 70,000 people, 40,000 among them being Scouts.

As a result of this tallying, some cases were responded to. Key among them is the introduction, by the Ministry of Health, of water sanitation and hygiene programme to Schools.

Soon, the Scouts will launch M-track, ‘Medicine track’ in conjunction with the Ministry of Health to facilitate tracking of medicine from the moment they are bought by the government to the ultimate distributor who is the local health unit. This comes from the backdrop of many local health centres lacking medicines while the government spends a fortune for them. Scouts will visit health centres and report any health centre that does not have medicine.

Free Courtesy visa to Angola, Hurry and Apply!

External participants to this year’s events in Angola will get free “courtesy” visas on condition that they meet the application deadline. As an external participant to the Main Africa Scout Day celebrations, you are eligible for a free visa if you submit scanned copies of the identity pages of your passport by 5th February 2012. External participants to the 6th Africa Scout Youth Forum and the 15th Africa Scout Conference are eligible for free entry visa if they submit the scanned copies of the identity pages of their passports by 20th April 2012.

“There are many factors that have shaped my life: my family, friends, my work experience in government, but I tell you my fellow Scouts that Scouting has made the greatest contribution into whom I am today". ~ Ambassador Nicholas Kuhanga Chairman, Executive Committee, Tanzania Scout Association

2012

PLEASE EMAIL US A PROVERB OR SAYING FROM YOUR COUNTRY. WE WILL PUBLISH THE BEST IN THE NEXT ISSUE! (africa@scout.org)

UPCOMING EVENTS EVENT

DATES

COUNTRY

Founder’s Day

22nd February 2012

All WOSM members

Africa Scout Day

13th March 2012 (Angola 9 -12)

All African Countries (Main host: Angola)

6th Africa Youth Forum

1-4th June 2012

Angola

15th Africa Regional Conference

6-9th June 2012

Angola

6th Africa Regional Jamboree

28th July - 5th August 2012

Burundi

STAY IN TOUCH! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scouting-in-the-AfricaRegion/163797806967899?sk=wall World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office P.O. Box 63070 00200, City Square Nairobi, KENYA

http://twitter.com/#!/ScoutingAfrica

Kindly send the scanned documents along with your duly filled registration form to kikasmax@gmail.com.

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

© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office