Good governance key to delivering scouting's life-changing educational programme to millions

Reconnecting the Movement

An important part of Scouting is to meet and interact with people from around the world. The conference provided the first in-person opportunity for the Scout Movement in Africa to come together post-COVID-19 pandemic which had led to the halting of travels and outdoor activities. These opportunities help to unite and celebrate the diversity of the movement.

At the 18^th Africa Scout Conference, participants reconnected with each other after more than three years in a beautiful display of friendship, diversity, and global solidarity regardless of their nationalities, gender, religion, and status - something the world needs today.

Despite being a platform for serious discussions, the conference also enjoyed a lot of music and dance symbolizing the great energy and positive spirit that characterizes our Movement. The participants reaffirmed the Scout Promise as a reminder of the Movement's shared values, unity, and strength.

At the end of the conference, the participants went back home re-energized and motivated to keep Scouting vibrant and enable young people to contribute to the betterment of their communities through service.

Inspiring Action and Impact

The conference invites industry leaders to share different perspectives with the participants to inspire new ideas and innovation to keep the Scout movement dynamic, relevant, and responsive to the changing needs of young people and global circumstances.

At this edition, Mrs Zainab Hawa Bangoura the Director-General of the United Nations Office at Nairobi officiated the opening ceremony. While recognizing the vital work of the Scout Movement in shaping the values and ideals of children and young people, she encouraged the movement to work more closely with UN Secretariat, agencies, funds and programmes, and the Member States across the continent and beyond to tap into the fresh ideas, perspectives, innovations, and energy which the young bring to old problems.

The keynote speaker H.E Bening Ahmed Wiisichong, Secretary-General of the Pan-African Youth Union on his part challenged the conference by saying that "our vision as a social force must be to scale-up meaningful youth engagements and participation across the globe, anchored on a revitalized and durable spirit of volunteerism." The regional and global leaders of WOSM that spoke at the conference also reinforced the idea of the conference as a space for inspiration toward greater action and impact.

Collaborating with Strategic Partners

In recognizing the important support provided by partners of Scouting, the Conference listened to a panel discussion with UNICEF East and Central Africa Regional Office, Africa for SDGs and the Institute for Economics and Peace. The panel highlighted the different areas of collaboration and challenged the movement to leverage its regional and global membership for greater impact, individually and collectively, and to turn the bulging African youth population into a positive force for its development.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between WOSM Africa and the Institute for Economics and Peace that will see the joint development and implementation of peace education and peace-building programmes, projects and activities targeting young people at grassroots, national and regional levels. This shall be backed by research and youth-led policy advocacy on Scouting's contribution to peace and sustainable development in Africa.

Other partners in attendance included the Duke of Edinburgh's International Award Foundation, SOS Children's Villages and government representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Mali and the Central African Republic. The conference also received support from Kenya Airways which offered discounted airfares for participants into and out of Kenya

The Africa Scout Foundation, an organ of the Africa Scout Region established to mobilize and continuously accumulate and invest a capital fund towards ensuring a future for Scouting in Africa, also held its Investor Forum on the sidelines of the Conference. At this gala event, the Foundation welcomed and recognized new members across the different categories and elected a new board for a five-year term until 2027. The Foundation raises funds through donations, grants, membership contributions and non-capital donations to support specific Scouting projects and other legal methods of fundraising.

Recognizing Exemplary Work of Volunteers and Young People

Scouting is a volunteer-led movement. Over 600,000 adults across the Africa Scout Region spare their time, expertise and even resources week-in-week-out to ensure the over 4.5 million young people benefit from Scouting's life-changing youth programmes in thousands of local communities. These volunteers are not paid, yet are the backbone of the movement, without whom Scouting would not exist. The conference offers a great opportunity for the movement to recognize and celebrate their sacrifices and commitment and award those who have rendered exemplary service to the movement.

During the 18^th Africa Scout Conference, the World Scout Committee presented Mrs Jemima Nartey from Ghana with the Bronze Wolf Award to acknowledge her outstanding service to the World Scout Movement over the years. Seven other individuals, Ignatius Kajengo of Zimbabwe, Nkosinathi Nxumalo of Eswatini, Joseph Lopis of Senegal, Palamwe Ayim of Togo, Milly Siebrits of South Africa, Gilbert Mussumba of DR Congo and Ezekiel Malenya of Botswana received the Africa Elephant Award from the Africa Scout Committee in recognition of their outstanding service to Scouting in Africa.

Another group of 7 young people received the Africa Scout Award from the Africa Scout Committee for their exemplary contribution to the cause of Scouting in their local, national, and international communities. They are Sheldon Marumbu and Ivy Murugi of of Kenya, Safidy Randriamitantsoa of Madagascar, M'boh Hermann and Kouakou Koffi of Cote d'Ivoire, Kenneth Geoffrey of Nigeria and Ggayi Angello of Uganda.

National Scout Organizations of Kenya, DR Congo and Tanzania were also recognized for their efforts in growing the movement in their countries. Also recognized were the outgoing members of the Africa Scout Committee, outgoing board members and ambassadors of the Africa Scout Foundation.

The 18^th Africa Scout Conference reaffirmed Scouting in Africa as a democratic and value-based movement committed to the principles of good governance and its outcomes provided a clear roadmap for the region over the next three years.

Focus now shifts to implementing the resolutions of the conference and the Triennial Plan 2022-2025 which emphasizes six key areas of Focus on 6 key areas of Educational Methods, Good Governance, Safe from Harm, Communications and Partnerships, Growth and Pandemic Recovery, and Sustainability. Visit https://africa.scoutconference.org to learn more about the 9^th Africa Scout Youth Forum and 18^th Africa Scout Conference.

Written by Nelson Opany - Senior Manager, Communications and Partnerships, World Scout Bureau Africa Support Centre Nairobi.