August 2012
Kudumail
News from the Africa Scout Region
www.scout.org/africa
Scouting for positive change: 35 countries participate in the regional Jamboree
Inside Highlight
Scouting for positive change: 35 countries participate in the regional jamboree
From NSOs Scouts
participate in empowerment seminar
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gender
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Meet the new Regional Youth Advisors Gone Home: Joseph Seidu, Ghana Deo Mutera, Burundi
Page 2 From ARO The Regional Office welcomes a new Staff member
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Inauguration message by the new Chairperson of the Africa Scout Youth Forum.
GITEGA - From 28th July to 5th August 2012, Scouts from over thirty countries gathered at the Bungere Scout camp in Gitega, Burundi for the 6th Africa Scout Jamboree. 29 African countries and 6 European countries (Belgium, Denmark, France, Finland, Italy and Sweden) were present. The opening ceremony was graced by His Excellency, Gervais Rufyikiri, the Second vice president of Burundi. Also in attendance at the opening ceremony were ambassadors from the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania, officials from the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture in Burundi, members of the Africa Scout Committee and staff from the World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office. “True to the theme of this jamboree "Scouting for positive change," we can say that the development of Africa will not be realized if we do not invest in youth. For this to happen, Scouting at all levels, must be effective and recognized as a trusted stakeholder in the [development] process”, said Gilbert Mussumba, Chairman of the Africa Scout Committee during the opening ceremony. For the next nine days, participants were taken through exciting inter-camp activities.
Page 3 Participants also interacted with other Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs) in the Global Development Village (GDV). Notable among them was the 350.org that is an organization for young people that seek to support grassroots youth movements across Africa to call for solutions to the climate crisis. One of the event highlights was an excursion to the Gitega Museum, the Karera falls in Mwishanga and the Kiganda treaty site. It is important to note that two major events ran concurrently on the sidelines of the Jamboree: the 6th Africa Scout Youth Forum (“Reloaded”) and the Messengers of Peace Training. The Youth Forum gathered young people from 26 countries namely: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe. At the end of the youth forum a team of six youth advisors was elected: Ester Hilundwa (Namibia), Felana Razanamirindra (Madagascar), Dossou Henri Joel (Benin), Nathaniel Likabi (Cameroun), Liberty Makonese (Zimbabwe) and Grace Nyaruai Michuki - Chairperson (Kenya). Continues on page 2
Community Defying odds: Disability not inability Development Page 4
Events calendar
Africa Scout Day
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August 2012
Kudumail
FOCUS ON NSOs Meet the new Regional Youth Advisors
Continued from page 1 The team is now tasked with organizing the 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum scheduled for 2015 in Mauritius. The Messengers of Peace (MoP) Community Leader’s Training saw the participation of 27 countries. They were: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroun, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The just concluded 6th Africa Scout Jamboree saw the election and investiture of six Scouts as Youth Advisors, during the Youth Forum that was held on the sidelines of the said Jamboree. The six will act as youth advisors in the region and will organize the 7th Africa Scout Youth forum as their top agenda.
Facilitated by Cynthia Marquez together with Collie Kavanagh, Kim Moller-Elshoj, Ronni Tino Pedersen, Christoffer Heindorff Malling and Regional Office staff, the participants were taken through various aspects of social media and communication for the implementation of the MoP initiative.
Gone Home
Joseph (R) with the WOSM Secretary General (L) GHANA - On 8th August 2012, Mr. Joseph Seidu Tambilla, the then Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Ghana Scout Association died after a short illness. He will be laid to rest on 29th September 2012. BURUNDI - Also known as “Porc-Epic”, Deo Mutera, a Burundian Scout who lived in Sweden, passed away. For more information and support to the ongoing fundraising exercise, please contact: AGB: + 257 22 24 30 82 or ASB: + 257 22 22 64 41
Scouts participate in empowerment seminar
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MALAWI - The Scouts of Malawi recently were invited to the launching of the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment program (GEWE) that was graced by Her Excellency the President Madam Joyce Mtila Banda, the President of Malawi. This is a three year program (from the year 2012 to 2015) of the Malawi Government that seeks to reduce the gender inequalities in accessing productive resources and development opportunities, promote decision making in order to contribute positively to Malawi’s Growth and Development strategy goal number II that seeks to accelerate the attainment of Millennium Development goal III on Gender Equality and women empowerment. The launch took place at the Bingu wa Mutharika International Conference Center in Lilongwe. The Program that will be funded by the European Union and executed by United Nations Development Fund (UNFPA) in conjunction with other partners.
Left to Right: Liberty, Felana, Nathaniel, Grace, Dossou and Ester Mr. Nathaniel Likabi is a 26-year-old Metaphysics and Anthology student in Cameroon. He is the Deputy Commissioner of the Cameroun Scout Association, a position he has held for the past three years. Ms. Ester Hilundwa is from Namibia, where she works as an administrator in a local Nongovernmental Organization. The 24-year-old is also an entrepreneur of a fashion company, a member of the Namibia Scouts Association and a youth activist. Mr. Dossou Henri Joel hails from Benin where he has been a District Commissioner of the Benin Scout Association since 2007. He is a social sciences graduate and currently works as an administrator. He is 26 years old. Ms. Felana Razanamirindra is a 23-year-old sociology student at Université d’Antananarivo in Madagascar. She is a member of the Madagascar Scout Association where she has been the Regional Commissioner of Central Antananarivo for two years.
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Mr. Liberty Makonese is a 23-year-old Zimbabwean, a transport and logistics student and a member of Zimbambwe Scouts Association where he is the chairperson of the National Youth forum. Ms. Grace Nyaruai Michuki is a native of Kenya where she is a Public Relations student. She is a member of the Kenya Scouts Association and a county youth representative. The 21-year-old is currently working with the Kenya Network of Women with AIDS (KENWA) where she is in charge of youth sensitization. She is the current chairperson of the Youth Advisors. The team has the mandate to organize a successful 7th Africa Scout Youth Forum set to take place in Mauritius in 2015. They are also expected to encourage the youth to organize youth forums at national, zonal and regional levels and promote unity among the youth. We wish them the very best in their new responsibilities.
© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office
August 2012
Kudumail
FROM THE REGIONAL OFFICE The Regional Office welcomes a new Staff member NAIROBI - Mr. Christophe Sanga Sanon from Burkina Faso joined the World Scout Bureau - Africa Regional Office as the Director, Strategy and Educational Services since August 2012.
Inauguration message by the new chairperson of the Africa Scout Youth Forum Dear Brothers and Sisters in Scouting, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the Chairperson of the Africa Scout Youth Forum. It is a great opportunity for the Africa Scout youth Forum Committee and I to serve best in line with the Scout Law and Promise. First and foremost, I want to thank all the delegates who were present during the 6th Africa Scout Youth Forum in Burundi for having faith in us as Youth Advisors and for the support in making the forum a success by the great attendance and contributions. My gratitude goes to the World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office and all NSOs in Africa for the great support that Scouting has contributed in reaching out for the youth, giving them the chance for leadership, listening to all their needs and giving advice and mentorship. Thanks to great inspiration and support from the Chairman of the Africa Scout Committee Mr. Gilbert Mussumba, the Regional Director, Mr. Frederic Tutu Kama-Kama and the entire Africa Scout family, we promise to give our ultimate best to be able to deliver and accomplish all the tasks ahead of us ensuring full representation of the youth, their needs and challenges. With the great support from everyone I am sure we shall be able to overcome all obstacles and difficulties and achieve all the set goals towards youth involvement in creating a better world. Thank you very much. May we follow the footsteps of our Founder Lord BadenPowell. God bless Scouting
Mr. Sanon who is married and a father of 5 has been a member of Association des Scouts du Burkina Faso and has served in various positions. He was the National Programme Commissioner between 1980 and 1982, the National Training Commissioner between 1985 and 1986, the Assistant Chief Commissioner of the Scouts du Burkina Faso between 1987 and 1991, and the Assistant Chief Commissioner of the Catholic Scouts between 1992 and 2000. He has also been a member of the network of former Scouts of Burkina Faso and has undergone the Unit Leader Training, Assistant Leader Training and Training of Trainers. Mr. Sanon is a French–English bilingual who holds an equivalent of a Bachelors degree and an equivalent of a Masters in Youth Education from the Institut National de la Jeunesse et des Sports de Yaounde in Cameroon. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He has extensive professional experience in working with the youth and on youthrelated matters, his main area of expertise being in development and implementation of youth and adult related programmes and projects, and in education of young people. He has worked with the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Employment in various capacities including serving as the Director of Youth Associations and Movements between 1990 and 1991, the Head of Information Services, Strategic Planning and Employment Programmes from 2004 to 2008 and as the Regional Director of Koudougou, Burkina Faso from 2008 and 2012. He has also worked with the civil society as the chairperson of the Burkinabé Association of Youth and Education and as the Programme Commissioner of the committee in charge of promotion of socio-educative activities for youth. Mr. Sanon was awarded with the Knight of Order of Merit for Youth and Sports in December 2005 for his exemplary service. We wish Mr. Christophe Sanga Sanon every success in his new position.
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Grace Nyaruai Michuki, Chairperson, the Africa Scout Youth Forum
© 2012 World Scout Bureau – Africa Regional Office
August 2012
Kudumail
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Memorable quote
Defying odds: Disability not inability
“The development of Africa will not be realized if we do not invest in youth. For this to happen, Scouting at all levels must be effective and recognized as a trusted stakeholder in the process”.
RWANDA - At the age of 12 years, Jean Claude Mbonigagara became a Scout in his local group in Butare, Rwanda. What is so unique about these 23year-old is that he lives his life proving disability is not inability.
Gilbert Mussumba, the Chairman, Africa Scout Committee.
During the Rwanda genocide, Jean Claude’s home was attacked. His mother hid him and his siblings in a bush. Little did they know that the attackers had suspected their hiding place and decided to spray the bush with bullets where he lost his father and one of the bullets hit his hip bone making him unconscious and he only recalls waking up in hospital. Within days, his condition worsened and he was airlifted to Belgium for surgery thanks to Red Cross volunteers. He came back to Rwanda at the end of the genocide and joined the Gatagara High School in Butare. This is a special school that seeks to empower those who are physically challenged, blind and deaf with education.
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UPCOMING EVENTS EVENT
DATES
COUNTRY
Central Africa Zonal Conference
8th – 10th October 2012
DRC (Kinshasa)
Centenary National Jamboree
23rd November – 3rd December 2012
Mauritius
Africa Scout Day
13th March 2013
Ethiopia
8TH WEST AFRICAN ZONAL CONFERENCE: READ ABOUT THE JUST CONCLUDED EVENT IN THE NEXT ISSUE!
STAY IN TOUCH! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scouting-in-the-AfricaRegion/163797806967899?sk=wall
While in this school, he started the “Espoir dans l’Ombre” Group with 25 Scouts who were physically challenged who made Scout woggles that they sold in Belgium. In 2009, the group’s membership grew to 45 and in 2011 they added jewellery and painting to their business.
World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office P.O. Box 63070 00200, City Square Nairobi, KENYA
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Today, the Scout group makes a living out of the sale of art and is also represented in regional and international Scouting events.
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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