On February 22 every year, scouts and Girl Guides commemorate the founder of the Scouting Movement, Lieutenant General Robert Baden-Powell.
In Trans Nzoia County, over 5,000 scouts gathered ak Kitale Museum to celebrate Founder’s Day while over 500 celebrated World Thinking Day at Kitale School Secondary grounds.
Who’s the scouts’ movement founder?
Baden-Powell, a former British Army was born on February 22, 1857. He established the Scouting Movement in 1907 to train boys in outdoor skills, leadership and self-reliance.
His sister Agnes Baden-Powell and wife Olave Baden-Powell established the Girl Guides movement.
After retiring from public service, he relocated to Kenya in 1938 and settled in Nyeri County with his wife. He died on January 8,1941 and was buried in St. Peter’s Cemetery in Nyeri. His grave remains a significant site for scouts globally.
Gracing the two separate events, Janerose Mutama, the County Executive Committee Member in charge of education and vocational training said scouting and Girl Guide movements are where responsible leaders are nurtured.
“While these movements are just like any other co-carricular activity, here is where leadership skills are horned, self reliance and leadership nurtured,” Mutama stated.
Doned in the official scouts uniform, Scouting Movement Commissioner in Trans Nzoia County Sichangi Arthur Keya urged parents to allow their children to join the movement.
“Any child who has gone through this movement is every mentally alert, creative and every prepared and ready to serve. Besides that, they do well in academics,” the Commissioner said.
Are girl guides supported by Kenyan government?
On her part, Mwanaisha Rashid, the Commissioner of the Girl Guides said the girls should be treated equally as their male counterparts.
“Unlike scouts who are properly supported by the government, Girl Guides are not given any form of support and that is why we struggle. This being a voluntary movement, I am forced to dig into my pockets to move around recruiting girl Guides,” Mwanaisha stated.
Meanwhile, Patricia Melissa, the patron of the Girl Guides movement said the movement instills confidence in girls.
“This is girl-child empowerment platform where we encourage and motivate our girls that they can achieve all they dream. Actually, this is where breed future responsible leaders,” Melissa said.
She also called on all elected leaders in Trans Nzoia County to support Girl Guides.
“We appeal to all our members of Parliament including our own County MP and peole of good will to come on board so that we take Girl Guides Movement to the next level,” she appealed.
In Kenya, Scouts are organised into four categories based on age groups. The categories are Sungura (cubs) 6-11 years, Chipukizi (scouts) 12-15 years, Mwamba (senior scouts) 16-18 years and Jasiri Rovers 18-24 years.
As at July 16, 2024, Kenya Scouts Association had a membership of 4.4 million scouts. This makes Kenya the leading country in Africa followed by Nigeria.
