1st Virtual World Conference and Youth Forum.
On 25th August 2021, the 42nd World Scout Conference and 14th World Scout Youth Forum brought together delegations from 172 National Scout Organizations and global partners to shape the future of the world’s leading educational youth movement.
The World Scout Conference and Youth Forum was the largest ever convened in the event’s 100-year history.
It provided a platform for up to 3,500 participants to play an active role in shaping the standards, policies and shared goals of the Scout Movement worldwide.
The theme “Bridging the World” challenges young people and participants to build bridges in their communities and across borders between National Scout Organizations, emphasizing the need to work together to put our planet on a path towards peace and sustainability.
The Kenya Scouts Association delegation led by the Chief Commissioner Mr Victor Radido and Head of contingent Mr Antony Gitonga attended the conference virtually from Nakuru county with Scout youth leaders from Nairobi, Nakuru and Kajiado counties.
“We are exited to have been part of both conferences and had a chance to be part of a global world virtually as we learnt, networked and took part in decision making especially on various resolutions and vote for desired leaders for the next triennium” said Collin Osewe the county youth leader of Nakuru.
The Youth Forum enabled young people of different backgrounds to explore key issues together such as innovation, global citizenship and leadership, and to develop the skills necessary to take part in decision-making processes. Elections for Youth Advisors took place with Fatima Aliyeva, Yoobinnara Kim, Reese Medina Medina, Alhassan Soltan, Maman Lamine Soumana, Ide Issa & Melissa Wilm Senna Pinto being selected as the Youth Advisors tothe World Scout Committee (2021-2024).
In their role, they will play a key part in the decision-making of the World Scout Committee, which is one of the three constitutive bodies of WOSM, alongside the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Bureau.
Kenya was honored as a growth champion in the conference regionally with an increase of13.99% in membership.
Elected world scout committee members include Mehdi Ben Khelil (Tunisia), Edward Andrew“Andy” Chapman (United States of America), Mori Chi-Kin Cheng (Hong Kong), WayneAdrian Davis (Ethiopia), Jo Deman (Belgium), Nika Gorovska (Ukraine), Pia Melin, Graasbøll(Denmark), Sarah Rita Kattan (Lebanon), Eun Gui Kim (Republic of Korea), Daiana Neil(Argentina), Christine “Chrissy”, Pollithy (Germany) and Juan Reig (Spain).
The World Scout Committee is one of the three constitutive bodies of WOSM, alongside the World Scout Conference and the World Scout Bureau.
The Conference showcased the work achieved during the current triennium, shared best practices by delegations and highlighted collaboration opportunities available with various partners.
Kenya Scouts Rovers showcased various projects including La Covi a project focusing on fun educational ways to sensitize the community around COVID-19, the Gingko project based in Kibera slums focusing on building resilience among teen mothers through skill training and reproductive health, and the Healing invisible wounds campaign aimed at breaking the stigma around mental health.
Kenya to host 1st Africa Rover Moot
The 17th Africa Scout Conference held in Harare, Zimbabwe in September 2018 passed a resolution on promoting, growth, development and visibility of Rover Scouting in Africa. Kenya won the bid to host the 1stever Africa Rover Moot on 15th to 25th April2023 at the Rowallan National Scouts Camping Nairobi, Kenya.
The theme for the inaugural event is “Innovating the next steps”. This theme calls upon participants to come up with innovative solutions to the current challenges facing them and other young people in their communities so as to create the change they seek. The slogan for the event is “Lets Go!” an indication the time to make a difference is now.
Speaking at the event, the cabinet secretary, Ministry of ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs Mr Joseph Wakaba Mucheru EGH assured the Scout Movement in Kenya of Government support as it plans to host the event. “Karibu Kenya”, he said welcoming the world to Kenyain 2023 for the Africa Rover Moot.
Mr Victor Radido the chief Commissioner at the Association appealed to his fellow Chief Commissioners from Africa and beyond to support young people to enable them participate in the event. “Let’s make Africa proud by supporting many young people from
your countries to attend this inaugural event in April 2023″, he said adding that the success of
this 1st Africa Rover Moot depends heavily on their support.
The International Commissioner at the Association Mr Antony Gitonga urged more partners to come onboard in support of the event and enable the rest of the world experience our motherland Kenya in a special way.
The Moot programme will provide young people with a myriad of opportunities to explore the world, gain skills in leadership, peacebuilding, and conservation. Young people will also have an opportunity to network and learn about sustainable development goals and how to play apart in the achievement of this.
Participation in the event is open to young people aged between 18-26 years. The organization and delivery of the event will be supported by national Contingent Staff and an International Service Team made up of adult volunteers aged over 26 years.
Participants from East Africa will pay a participation fee of USD 100, while those from the rest of Africa and the rest of the world will pay USD 160 and USD 200 respectively. Members of the International Service Team and Contingent staff from East Africa will pay USD 70 while those from other African countries and the rest of the world will pay USD 100 and USD 150 respectively
Scouts Changing the world, one action at a time!
In partnership with UNEP, we educate young people about plastic pollution to encourage them to take action to reduce plastic waste intheir lives, at schools, and within the community through the Tide Turners Plastic challenge program.
The Tide Turners Plastic Challenge is a global initiative developed by UNEP, adopted by the Kenya Scouts Associations an integral component of its key thematic area in Environmental Conservation.
´This Challenge enables all Scouts from Sungura to Jasiri sections to understand the impact of plastic use and how they can promote a clean, healthy planet that will contribute to amore sustainable world through:
1.Reducing their use of single-use plastic.
2.Stopping/Preventing marine litter.
3.Recovering water and land ecosystems from pollution.
4.Becoming aware of the issues threatening the planet.
5.Engaging in a fun and challenging activities towards taking personal responsibility for the planet’s well-being.
6.Developing leadership skills (taking the lead as ambassadors for positive change for the environment.
7.Creating meaningful and impactful change.
Scouts obtain the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge recognition badge according to their sections. For each section, there are specific actions, knowledge and attitudes to develop through activities and community projects.
By completing the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge our Scouts are recognized as members of the Earth Tribe Programme, and become members of a global tribe working for our planet. </br>
Sungura Scouts from Rudan Junior Academy participate in the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge Badge training at Rowallan Scouts Camp.
SCOUTS FOR SDGS
Scouts in Kenya have joined the rest of the world in a bid to eradicate extreme hunger and malnutrition which, is a huge barrier to development in many countries by adopting multi-storey kitchen garden to creatively grow vegetables on a small plot of land.
Kennedy Tessot, a Scout youth leader in Bomet county has taken the lead in championing for the multi story kitchen garden across the country by educating young people and fellow Scouts on the benefits of the same.
The aim of this is to contribute to achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)number 2 goal of Zero hunger by ending all forms of hunger and malnutrition by 2030.
Scouts Influencing Change for the Youth by the Youth.
The Kenya Scouts in partnership with UNICEF under the YUNITOK program held a Yunitok Football tournament for young people in Kajiado County at the Ngong Stadium. A total of six teams participated with the winning team from Highlands FC being awarded with atrophy and Yunitok branded merchandize.
Speaking at the event, the communications officer at the Association Risper Omala said that this was a great opportunity for the team of Scouts to sensitize youth from the area about the Yunitok platform as well as register them on the same.
“Sports as a social activity brings many people together and more so young people and we have had a good time sensitizing these youth about Yunitok and getting their views on issues affecting them in their communities and these will inform our programs moving forward as we strive to transform the youth of this country into agents of change “, she said.
The Yunitok programme coordinator Jefferson Mwadime urged more youths to join the platform as this will enable them not only voice issues that matter to them but also get opportunities to sharpen their skills through various trainings offered in through the programme.
“We held a poll sometime in March this year and the youth informed us ofthe need for them being trained on entrepreneurship for self sustainability and indeed we have organized a 4 daystraining fully sponsored to be held in Embu Scouts Centre”, he said.
Yunitok is an innovation based, user-centered social monitoring tool that is based on simple SMS messages that are designed to strengthen community-led development, citizen engagement and enforce positive change.
Yunitok allows citizens to speak-out on what is happening in their communities, provides a forum to amplify their voices through local and national media, sends alerts to key stakeholders about the issues their constituents are facing, and feeds back useful information to the Yunitokers, so they are empowered to work for change and improvements in their localities themselves.
The team also visited the Global HopeRehabilitation and Rescue center in thecounty and donated food items, blankets,stationaries, and soap as part of the programcooperate social responsibility.
