By Louise | Managing Director
You wont guess what I have heard! It is so funny! In the children’s program we foster a healthy competitive spirit amongst the patrols (Small groups), Troops (Large groups) and then districts. It creates a lovely atmosphere, and all the kids enjoy the comradery and the fun of it all to compete.
Last year I told you about the ladies had a competition for their SHG Celebration Day. Already they are preparing for their special 2025 SHG celebration day, they are going to have dance off’s, sing competitions, poetry reading etc as a competition on the day, the bug as been caught from the children.
Well, what has happened now? Now the Induna’s are having a friendly competition amongst themselves! It comes down to how many SHG groups each Induna has in their village, how many cub packs, and scout troops they have. They are approaching my staff in their villages to open more groups at every level and finding volunteers to help us with the new groups.
We are going to slightly hijack the competitive nature and include in the competition a more formal element, that of running Junior Ward Committees! It is so fun to see what we do being picked up and inculcated into the community by adults as something they see that has value. Over time I hope it will also include some other ideas we have brewing for example safe houses for women and children to run to if they feel under threat. But issues like that need to be discussed, planned and processed at community level so that it can be introduced across all the villages that we work with at the same time. It’s a idea that has been on my heart for a year or so, but it all takes time.
The Induna’s, as leaders of their villages hold the keys to our success and acceptance in the communities we serve. We made sure that every time we went into the villages to start something, that we asked their permission and included them in the processes. We also have provided many trainings to them as part of our commitment to the traditional system of government. Indunas are primarily men, but now we are seeing women become traditional leaders, the role is passed through the blood line and linked to the Chiefs.
When we first started, Induna’s did not receive a stipend, or any form of recompense, however they worked and lived in their communities 24hours a day, 7 days a week and were responsible for everything that goes on, from water to sanitation, crime prevention, education, animal husbandry, roads, electricity provision, deaths, allocation of stands for housing. Their job description is huge, and they carry the load. Now, 20yrs later they receive a small stipend in comparison to the work they do, but that is not the point, they are dedicated and committed to the people they serve, which is wonderful.
Anyway, I thought you might like to share the joke.
Have a fabulous day, enjoy the blessings you have.
Louise
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