Young Leaders' Camp - a new beginning

“Try to leave this world a little better than you found it, and when your turn comes to die, you can die happy in feeling that at any rate, you have not wasted your time but have done your best.” Quoted Lord Robert Baden-Powell. This being our legacy, we strive everyday to make this world better than we found it. We learn and do to impact this world, and of course we share with younger girl guides for them to grow into world changers, on their turn.

From August 07 to 11, 2017, Association des Guides du Rwanda hosted a camp in Ruhango district with the main of training 200 troop-leaders with assets that will support them throughout their learning and leading journey. The camp was also an opportunity to pilot new educational programme, revised under the funds of IOGT – NTO Movement to support all girl guides leaders deliver quality programmes, with specifically a component tacking alcohol and drugs abuse at early age.

It was a fun, challenging and full of lesson experience to the young leaders and even to the facilitators of the camp. FUN due to the evening camp fire, each evening, songs and dances; making new friends; playing and learning. CHALLENGING mainly because the majority of attendees were camping for their first time and most of the camps routine were new to them. Also, challenging to most members of the camp planning team as it was their first time to be in any team coordinating a camp. It was also an experience full of lessons as the camp had five classes each class having a program to deliver and each participant in the camp went through all the six classes before the camp closed. The first class taught about GUIDING, the second had FIRST-AID by GOLD UK team (who we thank really much by the way!), the third class was about FREE BEING ME program, the fourth was about STOP THE VIOLENCE, the fifth was on harmful use of alcohol and drugs (very informative) and the last but not least class was about LEADERSHIP.

Neither AGR nor facilitators and coordinators of the camp would have had such a wonderful and successful camp without the support from Father Leonard Munyangaju, who availed the campsite, helped in logistics and stayed close during the camp. At the closing ceremonies, we were honoured by the presence of the Executive Secretary of BYIMANA Sector and Afande Angelique, representative of Rwanda National Police in Ruhango District and the National Youth Council delegate.

So much inspired, the young guides returned to their homes and troops with different goals that they are currently working on. They had also gained the troop-leaders’ badges and different coloured beads for the programs they had completed from the camp. We cannot wait for 2018, we hope it will be bigger and longer with so much in the package.

TO THE NEXT CAMP !