7 August 2024, Gitega - Burundi: Today, Happiness Emmanuel, a young girl Scout from Nigeria who is attending the 9th Africa Scout Jamboree as a participant of the International Leadership Training which ended yesterday in Gitega, Burundi, takes us on a walk around the Africa Development Village. Here’s her report.
Africa Development Village
The Africa Development Village is an education and learning space at the 9th Africa Scout Jamboree dedicated to showcasing World Scouting’s programmes and how Scouts across Africa and the world are contributing to the realization of the aspirations of the sustainable development Goals. The programmes are being delivered through creative and engaging workshops under the framework of Scouts for SDGs on the themes of Environment and Sustainability, Peace and Community Engagement,, Health and Wellbeing, and Life Skills.
Today we interacted with participants from Mount Heha, Mount Kibira and Mount Ruwenzori sub camps. Sub camps are the different camping groups into which participants are divide at the jamboree for ease of administration. In addition to the three above, this jamboree has five sub camps which consist of major physical features in Burundi and neighbouring countries including Serengeti Park for participants and Nyiragongo Volcano for the International Service Team.
Peace and Community Engagement
Baskouda from Cameroon talked to us about peace and dialogue as the practice of respectful mutual interaction with other people despite different backgrounds, beliefs and opinions. He then talked about the different Messengers of Peace Heroes from Africa and the projects they implemented to deserve the recognition. He also highlighted how young propel from around the world are showcasing their community projects on sdgs.scout.org and their contributions to billions of service hours by Scouts for the SDGs and challenged the participants to do more. “I urge us to try and understand other people from other parts of the world to enable us to live peacefully with them,” he added
Skills for Life
Ivy Karushi from Kenya told us that the Skills for Life Initiative aims at equipping young people skills to prepare them for life through five different learning paths that all contribute to Scouts for SDGs, namely - entrepreneurship, leadership, interpersonal skills, literacy and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM).
Environment and Sustanibility
We met Amboara from Madagascar who taught us about the Earth Tribe initiative which encompasses three challenges – Scouts go solar, Plastic Tide Turners and Champions for Nature – all aimed at educating young people to protect preserve and restore nature and its biodiversity. She talked about how we can discover the power of the sun and learn about how energy and the climate are interconnected. She mentioned the importance of planting trees and their usefulness, saving water and recycling used objects. “Recycling is one of the best green habits towards zero waste and sustainability,” she said. Our environment is important to us and we should try and keep it clean and safe for all.
Health and Well-being
Farouk, Chairperson of the Youth Advisors to the World Scout Committee from Niger explained the importance of good health and listed some of the consequences of you not taking care of our health. He demonstrated the use of the blood pressure machine, thermometer and stethoscope. “With good health you can achieve more than when you have a weak immune system,” he added.
Bertille from Burundi talked to us about adolescence as the transitional growth and development between childhood and adulthood from the age 10 - 19. She discussed the changes that exist between males and females and what happens if you don't take care of your body at this stage of life.
Julio from Seychelles summarized all about Scouts for SDGs and he urged the young people to be part of it
Future World Scouting Events
Piotr Kowalski from Poland was onsite to showcase and invite young people aged 14-17 years and ISTs to the 26th World Scout Jamboree to be held in Poland in 2027. The jamboree will take place in the Northern Poland city Gdansk on Sobieszewska Island. He gifted us the badge for the upcoming Jamboree.
Taiwan were also present to promote their potential bid for the 17th World scout moot in 2029.