By Ronald Musinguzi & Collen Ramuthivheli

Equator scouts group embarked on the second phase of a project which is meant to fight malaria in Uganda. This was done in relation to the scouts principles to which we adhere. (Duty to self, duty to God and duty to others).

In addition to many other crucial community based projects we have, Equator scouts prioritized the fight against malaria as a number one need to the community.

As scouts, we cannot stay insensitive to the fact that Malaria is the biggest killer of children under five and a stronger force causing miscourages and maternal health problems in Africa and particularly Uganda.

Inspired by the impact created by our previous visit and donation of 120 mosquito nets, Equator scouts mobilized and effected the 3 phases of the project in Nabweya Village which is in Mbale District.
In a bid to continue our fight against malaria, we had 3days of outreach to Nabweya village and carried out this project in 3 phases. I wish to note that our focus was mostly on children and pregnant mothers.

Day one involved visiting homes and assessing the general situation in the area. We noted that only one out of every seven homesteads have mosquito nets. We also used this opportunity to inform them of the meeting that would be held at a nearby primary school the next day. Our assessment was directed at knowing the actual environment and the kind of help we could offer to the people. We noted that most homesteads were surrounded by big bushes and some had dirty drainages as well. The homesteads that had mosquito nets were mostly from the literates who happen to be the minority in the area. Inside the children’s rooms, we also noted that the parents catered for themselves living the children with no mosquito nets in their rooms. Sadly, it is still apparent that many people in the suburbs do not know what to do and those who know, do not have the means to acquire mosquito nets. At the end of the assessment, we noted critical areas to cover during the education and sensitization phase. This assessment was approximately done on 60 homesteads.

In Day two, we were amazed by the large turn up of the people. This day was purposely for education, sensitization and direct interaction with the people on matters pertaining ways we can combat malaria as a community. The interactive discussion involved question and answer approach, facts about malaria, preventive measures against malaria, financial consequences of treating malaria yet it can be prevented, the relationship between the environment we live in and mosquito harboring and practical’s about the use of mosquito nets. This session is lively and interactive with scout games and songs so that the children can directly learn while having fun. The education part of this project is to enable us empower the community so that they can be able to fight malaria and at the same time spread the information to others for a malaria free environment. It’s in this same session that we answered many myths people have about sleeping under mosquito nets and came up with a list on ways we can prevent malaria. The aim of this education phase is to provide knowledge to the people, answer any queries regarding malaria and as well help them find many other alternative ways of combating malaria in the community. We demonstrated the different types of mosquito nets and how they can be put to proper use. At the end of this session, we identified and distributed additional 80 treated mosquito nets to vulnerable children and pregnant mothers. It is unfortunate that we could not afford to give all those who attended and needed mosquito needs.

In day three, we finalized by following up the homesteads we had given mosquito nets to assess whether they had hang them properly and if they had started clearing up the bushes that surrounded their houses. Gladly, our follow up showed that the majority had hanged the nets properly and they had started clearing up the bushes. We hope to go back to the homesteads after 4 months and assess the effectiveness of the net program. This will be able to show us whether there is reduced incidences of malaria amongst the homesteads that attended the education phase and received free mosquito nets as well.

Even with financial constraints, we intend to do the same for many other villages with hope that our work will create impact and help to combat malaria, the biggest killer disease in Uganda. Our greatest desire at the moment is to see every child and pregnant mother acquire a mosquito net. We have trained more equator scouts (rovers) to go out and emphasize the importance of sleeping under a mosquito net and the need of a malaria free environment. Together, we can fight malaria and change the lives of others who cannot afford.

We as equator scouts feel so much joy after accomplishing what we started and for being part of those making this world a better place.
We thank all the scouts from equator scouts group, international friends and those who love changing lives for the best. We hope to be doing this whenever we can and we look forward to giving more to the community.

By Collen Ramuthivheli

It was 2005 when Atiso Mdlalose took his first step in joining Scouting movement in South Africa at 1st Katlegong Cheetahs. That initial experience had an electric collection of duties, leadership and being able to be useful and help others. Atiso became a Scout after his Brother Tobias. Know, Atiso is a trained Patrol Leader scout (PL) at 1st Germiston Scout Scout Group.

Atiso is one of the South African Scouts whom are going to the 22nd World Scout Jamboree. He can’t wait to be at the Jamboree. “Only few days and hours left, jamboree is around the corner I can’t wait to be amongst other Scouts from different countries,” he says.

This young man is more than prepared to go and celebrate everything that Scouting has achieved in bringing together people of different faith and background to promote understanding, tolerance an international peace. Atiso use to think that scouting is something that is based in South Africa only. This will really change the way he think.

Atso is looking forward on touring Sweden. Making international Scouting friends is on of the things that he would like to achieve after the Jamboree. “My backpack is ready to go,” he says.

I’m looking for participants whom are going to attend the 22nd World scout Jamboree from all over the world who wants to share something about their expectations.

Here comes the questions! Don’t be afraid to write to much, better that way than the opposit.

What’s your name?
Where are you from ( Country and City)?
How many people are you going with to the WSJ2011?
Have you ever been to an international jamboree before?
If yes, wich one? What’s your experiences from it?
Why did you decide to go to the WSJ2011?
Have you ever been to Sweden before?
What’s your expectations?
Don’t forget to send me your picture wearing your NSO’s official Scout uniform.

We are planing to publish many articles from scouts from all over the world.

Don’t you want to be the first one?

E-mail me at fhulu.collen@gmail.com or at collenfhulufhelo@yahoo.com.

By: Fhulufhelo Collen Ramuthivheli

Scoutface has helped you meet a lot of international Scouts friends from all over the World. Maybe you have been asking yourself: when are you going meet them and how is it going to be possible for you to meet them in your real life situation. You could be able to use Scoutface very wisely!

Began by finding out from your Scoutface friends and find out how many Scouts are going to attend the World Scout Jamboree. This could be one of the things which could make your stay at the Jamboree more enjoyable. Have you ever thought of something like this? Take this opportunity to meet your Scouting friends from all over the world!
How will it be like to meet your Scoutface friends at the Jamboree and start chatting with each other? Sharing Scouting experiences with other Scouts is one of the interesting elements of Scouting. Make it a challenge to find Jamboree friends before the Jamboree.

It will really be a happy moment to make an appointment just before the Jamboree. You can also offer a gift from you to your Scoutface friends and get one in return, these interesting indigenous things from every country that you cannot easily find anywhere. “I can’t wait to ask my South African Scoutface friend to get me one of those noisy Vuvuzelas I’ve seen at the World Cup last year; I could blow it during the official Jamboree opening”. These are one of many things you can ask from Scouts from all over the World!

Thousands of Scouts from all over will be in Sweden for this gathering. Never forget that there will be a lot of Scouts speaking different languages at the Jamboree. You can start learning different ways of greeting in different languages. It will put a smile on your Scoutface friend’s faces if you could be able to say “Hello” in their own language.

I know there are a lot of Scouting items you would like to have from other countries like T-shirts, Scarf, Belts, Badges and Woggles. Tell your Scoutface friends what you would like and also ask them what they would like from your country. You can then swap at the Jamboree!

I hope these ideas will be helpful and fruitful. You will see the importance of having international Scouting friends. The interesting part of it is that you will also remain friends for ever on Scoutface. It might happen that you meet again at another Scout event or the next Jamboree in Japan (23rd World Scout Jamboree). Scoutface is helping Scouting make the World very small by connecting all Scouts!

Do you wish to be a member of the Scoutface team?

Scoutface is working at the biggest online scout-news magazine.

We wish to involve you in this project, but we also need guarantees you have good communication skills and that you are trustworthy as well.

If you wish to be a scout news editor on Scoutface, there are some requirements you need to meet that we will list below:
• You have to be at least 19 years old
• You have to be a scout for at least 4 years with relevant scout activities experience
• Perfect writing English
• You must have the verified badge on your Scoutface profile
• You must be recommended by three scouts that also have the verified badge on their Scoutface profile(they have to leave a post on your wall, “I recommand him/her to be Scoutface news editor “)

If you meat the requirements above and want to make a difference in the Scout Movement, send an email to vasile.darie[at]scoutface.com with the subject: “I want to be Scoutface Editor” and we will discuss further details.

Lucas Guilherme, a Brazilian scout and Scoutface member, asked us to inform you about one of his projects. Since we like it, here it goes: The project is name “One Scout, One Tree” and the idea is for each scout to plant a tree.

“If your scout group has 100 members, so 100 trees will be planted. Tell about the project and mobilize your group. We will promote and participate in this idea that will help the environment.
If your group has helped plant, send me an email with your name, branch involved, name of your Scout group and city. Stating the amount of trees planted, which found the project and of course, some pictures, videos, comments, suggestions (link or file) in the class doing the planting.
I\’ll be posting them on the blog later.” says Lucas.

The project also is part of the conquest of the homeland Scout badge.

To contact him you can use this info: projetoEP@live.com
http://umescoteiroumaarvore.tumblr.com/

This event is going to Plant a memorial PEACE POLE at the roof of Africa (Mt Kilimanjaro) to hail “MAY PEACE PREVAIL ON EARTH” all across AFRICA and the whole WORLD at large. The event will take five days climbing and end with tour in different attractive places in Tanzania such as visiting in our National park, Zanzibar and more.

The project will be undertaken by two Non-Governmental Organizations known as Tanzania Scouts Association (TSA) and LaNoChe Camp. This organization is highly professional and well experienced in handling such large scale people-based projects.

The full proposal will be send to Interested participate, this will cover the all travel information, Fees and all other necessary details.

International participants will be arriving from September. 7Th, 2011 and climbing will start from September 9th, 2011 finish on September 13th

The term peace pole refers to a hand crafted monument that the message “may peace prevail on earth” on each of its four or six sides usually in different languages. Purposely designed to sensitize and promote peace in the world,

September 11th peace pole project is a 14 weeks project to be executed in Tanzania of which along with other activities to sensitize and promote peace in Tanzania and the world at large, it aims at planting a peace pole at the summit of Mt. Kilimanjaro on September 11th, 2011- a day which commemorates the September 11th 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center twin towers in New York USA- which posed a severe threat to global peace. This project is going to echo global desperation for peace, intensively implementing such strategic measure as educational programs, media outreach, social works, and grassroots campaigns dedicated to demonstrate that non violence is a powerful way to heal, transform and empower our live and our communities.

Customizing global initiatives for peace to concertize peace in Tanzania; one may ask him/herself why planting peace pole on September 11th in Tanzania while there are other important dates Tanzania commemorate as pertaining to the history of the country. The major reason here is very strategic and psychological as well; the September 11th terrorist attacks on World Trade Centers shook not only the Americans but the whole at large attacks on affecting global economy and resulted to war in search for terrorists in Afghanistan, series of terrorist bombings in various in the world, as letters containing weapon zed anthrax which were sent to target USA individuals. All of these issues totally captured the global attention. Consequently, whenever one mentions September 11th it echoes a global fear of war and terror- a date that will long be remembered not only by Americans but the whole world communally with no exception of Tanzania. However as the whole world rises to preach “global on September 11th, the majority of Tanzania will and up analyzing the whole issue as an external problem with no direct concern/effect on Tanzania as a nation- a view which do not take into account possibility of similar attacks to happen in Tanzania, hostage & training of terrorists in Tanzania soil, Tanzania youths including scouts becoming terrorists, or emergence of social/ political conflicts which may destroy the peace we (Tanzanians) are so much relaxed with. The trick here is to trickle down global struggle for peace hailed on September 11th to help concertizing peace in Tanzania through implementation of grass-roots programs which will highlight the actual state of peace in Tanzania and how to best improve it for if our nation’s future.

For information Email to lanochecamp@yahoo.com
Johnson MaCRobert - Ass, Chief Commissioner, Community Development

Here’s a message from one of our brother scouts, reaching out for our help:

“The scout group of the university of Yaounde1( Cameroon); GOLDEN EYE hereby informs other scout groups from Europe and other parts of the world that every year they organize developmental projects with other scouts from europe.These projects consist of helping in the construction and renovation of class rooms, educating on sexually transmitted diseases and aids, animation with youths, cultural exchanges and tourism in Cameroon. These projects always take place in summer, the latest being the construction and donation of a paultry to a youth association in the west region of Cameroon.This year we have many projects to carryout and we will be very grateful to have a partnership with other scout groups.

For more information contact us through email- ngwafrancis1984@yahoo.fr ”

Ngwa Francis - Group leader

We have started the profile verification as many of you probably have already seen. Unfortunately a lot of members that have applied for the verification process will not get the verified badge because the info they provided is not correct.

We’ll say once more what needs to be sent: A picture of you where you are wearing a scout scarf, uniform, etc and your face is shown and an ID (passport, drivers license, etc) where you have a photo and your name.

Any other pictures that we receive cannot and will not be taken into account. For those who have already sent pictures but are not in accordance with what we asked, please send the required pictures again.

Thanks,
Scoutface Team

Here’s a video that shows what scouting is all about and also presents the advantages of becoming a volunteer. It talks about passion, adventure, opportunities, portraying the scout life in such a manner that it will be impossible not to make you want to join.
Enjoy!