Written by Charlotte Reinhold
Ubuntu is about recognising our shared humanity and understanding that we are stronger when we work together. It reflects the values of community, collective responsibility, service, respect and giving back. In partnership with the Rotary District 9400, Rovers at the 2nd Africa Scout Moot put those values into action.
World Scouting, Jonathan Law
One team of Rovers stepped up by helping make eco-bricks for a local school. This is the third school being built in the area using eco-bricks. The original school had become too small, so the community built a new building using recycled plastic bottles. Children collected the bottles, while additional materials were sourced through community collections and donations from local businesses. Around 60 000 plastic bottles—roughly 33 tons of plastic waste—were removed from the environment to create safe sustainable learning spaces. This school also offers extra lessons in subjects like English, physics, and health education, helping learners succeed in high school.
The project also responds to another community challenge as many learners cannot afford university. By building the school, the project teaches practical technical skills that enable young people to find future employment.
World Scouting, Jonathan Law
With the walls already taking shape, Rovers worked in groups of ten to create eco-bricks. While filling a plastic bottle with soft plastics may seem simple, it requires patience and perseverance. It takes about 45 minutes to fill a bottle and reach the required weight of approximately 560 grams, and they need to be as firm as a tennis ball. For many of the youth present the concept of an eco-brick was entirely new, while others shared similar initiatives from their own countries. In Kenya, for example, eco-bricks are sometimes filled with soil rather than plastic scraps. Throughout the day, music, laughter and teamwork filled the site. Some groups listened to ABBA, Michael Jackson and Taylor Swift, while others created their own rhythms using bottles and sticks.
At the end, every Rover had produced at least one eco-brick, that will become part of a wall supporting young people’s education and future employment.
Ubuntu, a Rover is a friend to animals
World Scouting, Jonathan Law
While one group of Rovers were building eco-bricks, another visited the South African Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Here, injured wild birds, such as hawks, owls and even pigeons, are treated and rehabilitated so they can take flight once more. The Rovers painted equipment containers and cleaned out some of the bird cages- an onerous task for the volunteers at the rehabilitation centre. How fitting that as Rovers, we could play a part in enabling our partners at the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre to help birds fly higher and higher!