September 2014
Kudumail
News from the Africa Scout Region
www.scout.org/africa
The Humblest Uniform in Congo
Inside Highlight
The humblest uniform in Congo
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From NSOs My first Scout uniform !WSB-ARO/FILE
Scouts renovate homes impoverished community
Scouts Goma commit to the activities of the UReport project
Page 2 From ARO Let us unite to build a new world of lasting peace
Cycling for peace and health
Q&A with Simone Bazos by Pauline Eiferman Roads & Kingdoms: Can you describe your first encounter with the Scouts? Bazos: I knew that they were out on Sunday mornings to [pull] security at churches around town. So I left my house around 6:30 one Sunday morning and I barely walked a mile before I found a troop marching in the middle of the road. I asked to talk to their leader, the oldest kid, he was 16. I asked if I could take a few pictures he said yes. I started going to their meetings as often as I could; they were happy someone had taken an interest. R&K: What kinds of activities did they do? Bazos: The need for a group like the scouts was definitely greater because of the war. They somewhat emulated military style but they were good-hearted kids in need of structure and an outlet. A good portion of their meetings was song and dance. Sometimes one of the kid leaders would have a book and read to the other kids, sometimes Bible stories, sometimes an old scouting book. Most of the meetings would have a lesson. If it weren’t reading, then maybe the leader would talk about medicinal plants, or how to help take care of old people. There would sometimes be demonstrations, like how to make a gurney using your scout kerchiefs and a few sticks. It was mostly pretty practical stuff. R&K: Who were the leaders? Bazos: There were three or four youth leaders per troop. Most of them were not in school anymore. One sold peanuts on the street; another worked doing basic construction at the Goma lumberyard. The leaders would help the little kids, tie their shoes, and put their hats and kerchiefs on right. They were very humble. There were a lot of teenagers in Goma who were not like them, who were very into fashion and sports, like most teenagers anywhere. But the older teenagers in the troops seemed really special to me. They wanted to impart goodness on the other younger kids—the youngest was three years old. As for the adult leaders, they ranged in age from their twenties to their sixties. Once a Scout in Congo, always a Scout. Many even get married and buried in their Scout uniforms. R&K: Do you know a little bit about the history of Scouts in Congo? Bazos: One of the adults told me the history as he knew it, but I have not really been able to verify. Apparently scouting reached the DRC in 1924 in Lubumbashi. It had moved its way up from South Africa, where it was introduce a bit earlier. Baden Powell’s book “Aids to Scouting” was brought to South Africa in 1907. Scouts were also banned for 14 years I believe under Mobutu. He replaced the Scouting association with a national youth group. There is a pretty religious overtone to the Scouts still today in Goma at least.
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Page 3 Community Giving back to society Development Page 4
Events Uganda Scout Association calendar Centenary Celebrations 16th Africa Scout Conference and 7th Youth Forum 23rd World Scout Jamboree
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