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World Organization of the Scout Movement – Triennial Report 1996-1999
As defined by the Constitution of WOSM, the regions play an essential role within the World Organization by helping its governing and coordination bodies in their work both at world and regional levels. In particular, they identify local needs and the help necessary to solve them. They also inform the world bodies of the situation at grass-roots level. The regions are important constitutional and operational elements in a truly decentralized, diversified operation within our Movement, the main strength of which is its worldwide unity and integrity. The Bureau The Regions Chairman: Mr. Manuel Pinto, Uganda 10th Africa Scout Conference: Dakar, Senegal, September 1998 Previous Chairman: Dr. Marie-Louise Correa, Senegal 11th Africa Conference: Gabon, 2001 Regional Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya, Dakar, Senegal Regional Director: Mr. Kiraithe Nyagas The 10th Africa Scout Conference was held 30 September to 4 October, 1998 in Dakar Senegal. It was attended by 83 people representing 18 member organizations. The theme of the conference was Scouting develops Young People for Unity, Peace and Democracy. The keynote address was delivered by a young Scout and the workshops that followed explored how Scouting as an educational movement for young people can play this role - this being a great need in Africa today. During the conference, the 1st Africa Scout Youth Forum was held at the same venue. Four new members were elected to the Regional Scout Committee for a term ofsix years: Dr. Doumbia Gnamakolo (Côte d’Ivoire), Papa Mbodj (Senegal), Nkwenkwe Nkomo (South Africa), and Dr. Stephen Chandiwana (Zimbabwe). The new committee elected Manuel Pinto (Uganda) as its Chairman and Massaye Ngouangui (Gabon) as Vice-Chairman.s The region has seen an overall growth rate of 4.2 percent over the triennium, with a registered membership of 590,658 Scouts and leaders. Angola was recognized as the 150th member of WOSM during the triennium and became the newest member of the region.s The Africa Core Programme, which was originally developed by the Africa Regional Office to help national associations with their youth programme development process, has been revised. The complete revision was undertaken by members of the Regional Sub-Committee on Youth Programme and other Scouters, to make it more compatible with the Renewed Approach to Programme Development proposed by the World Programme Committee. The regional focus remains the support of national Scout associations that are updating their programmes using that approach.In the last triennium, Scouts in the region continued with their involvement in community development according to local needs, the available resources, and the educational method of Scouting. The main areas of involvement for Scouts included: leprosy, environment, capacity building, and job skills training. Africa Region Membership Youth Programme Regional Conference-
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World Organization of the Scout Movement – Triennial Report 1996-1999 Page 2 2WORLD SCOUT BUREAU, Africa Region, continueds During the last three years, Adults in Scouting has been a main priority. A Task Force on Adults in Scouting was set up to work on concept clarification. It held a number of sessions with the Kenya Scouts Association. Zonal workshops were also held in West I (Togo, Benin and Côte d’Ivoire); East (Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania) and West II (Senegal and The Gambia). An Adults in Scouting subcommittee has been set up to work with national associations.s A new course providing more information on Scouting and the skills necessary to manage a national Scout association was developed for the leaders of new associations. This is necessary because not all elected members of the councils and executive committees were Scouts and they need a better understanding of Scouting and managing a Scout association. The on-the-job training course for Scout executives continued at the regional office. The support to national associations to revise and update their constitutions continues, as do strategic planning workshops for selected associations. The Africa Scout Regional Office opened an Operations Centre on 1 August1997in Dakar, Senegal, to better serve French-speaking associations in West Africa. Lamine Diawara joined the regional staff as the executive in charge. The completion of the project was made possible thanks to the generosity of Scouts Canada, and of the government of Senegal.s 1995 to 1998 were years marked by greater cooperation between the national Scout associations and the regional office. Many associations in the region continued to have bilateral programmes with Scouts from other parts of the world. In the region, relationships were strengthened with other youth and related organizations. In addition, the Africa Regional Office participated in meetings and conferences organized by the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations system.s Regional Director Kiraithe Nyaga is assisted by Abdoulaye Sene, Director of Programme and Training; J. Gathogo Ngugi, Director of Community Development; and Lamine Diawara, Director of the Operations Centre in Dakar, Senegal. Adults in Scouting Staff Relationships Management At the Africa Regional Conference in October 1998, Abdou Diouf, President of Senegal, welcomed Frankie Roman (right), Chairman of the World Scout Committee, and Jacques Moreillon, Secretary General of WOSM. To the left of President Diouf is Marie Louise Correa, the out-going chairman of the Africa Scout Region. “On My Honour...” a Rwandan Scout in a refugee camp in Zaire makes his Scout Promise before other members in the troop. Scouts in Burundi, Rwanda and Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) were often refugees themselves, and they did much to help refugees, especially children, in the camps; other Scouts were helping refugees get settled and to reintegrate when they returned home.
