Southern Turf Management donates to Agri-Scout Team
This legacy project will provide a blueprint for change for the economic, environmental, and social, as well as the well-being of our communities for generations to come.
Kwa-Thema – Unified Scout Group’s Agri-Scout Team on Wednesday welcomed Southern Turf Management to its Agri-Scout Centre based at Wauchope Street in Kwa-Thema.
Southern Turf Management is a company that specialises in turf grass maintenance, instant lawn and grass services, as well as landscaping and many other services.
The birth of the Agri-Scout Project was through Tebogo Rakgabyane, who wanted a Scouting presence in active youth development in the Kwa-Thema community and the KwaTsaDuza area.
He aims to elevate the positive image of Scouting and to be part of new developments taking place, particularly where the Scouts, youth and the unemployed get bombarded by the challenges of the waves of technology.
The concept of ‘Agri-Scout’ started as a legacy project whilst Rakgabyane, the Scout Group Leader for Unified Scout Group, was working towards completing his Rover Wood badge ‘ticket’ last year.
“I wanted to leave a legacy for Scouts, especially the Rovers at Unified Scout Group in Kwa-Thema, as well as Rover Scouts all over the country to always have something meaningful to them, and one that could benefit the surrounding community.”
“I have inspired several people in my community and produced several leaders who today are successful in their respective and chosen endeavours.
“Having impacted several groups of people in various communities across South Africa, and in the SADC region, I found that I always excel when I put an effort into areas where my passion is. One of those areas is Scouting, youth and agriculture,” he said.
The Agri-Scout Project caters for Unified Scout Group members in the main, as well as servicing the entire community of Kwa-Thema, and Scouts South Africa as far as their advancement levels for Meerkats, Cubs, Scouts and Rovers are concerned.
The project’s strategic aims are:
• To help challenge the mindset of young people, especially the Scouts, the youth, and the unemployed in the community, by encouraging them to grab opportunities, by utilising skills and resources in contributing meaningfully towards their personal development and towards playing a role in the desired local agricultural development;
• To offer uncompromised, excellent, and efficient service to the broader community of Kwa-Thema;
• To promote Agri-Scout Initiatives as a ‘service’ project tool for Rover Scouting in South Africa and internationally;
• To promote agri-partnership as an alternative and vehicle for job creation for the Rover Scouts;
• To encourage youth participation in agricultural education and developmental advancement programmes;
• To fight poverty, reduce unemployment through volunteerism and eradicate inequalities.
This legacy project will provide a blueprint for change for the economic, environmental, and social, as well as the well-being of communities for generations to come.
Scouts, the youth, and the unemployed have come together to build a common vision for Kwa-Thema’s future.
They have recognised the challenges the increasing township sprawl poses, not only to the economic and social vitality of our community but also to the environmental and social health of our entire community.
Working together, they have committed to reversing this trend and to spurring the growth in high-quality projects, job creation opportunities, and agricultural development that will ensure the Far East Rand’s continued pre-eminence as the economic and agricultural hub in Ekurhuleni whilst also satisfying the food chain in the community.
This project calls for carefully strategised growth. It also recognises they cannot abandon our commitment to the things that make Scouting a movement to raise and develop the youth, especially in today’s life.
The team thanked Southern Turf Management for their donation of gardening equipment and Andrew Turner and Peter le Roux for their commitment to wanting to see the Agri-Scout Project grow.
They appeal to the business community and the Department of Agriculture to step up and assist in whatever way possible, especially since the Agri Centre still needs more equipment and a shade-net cover on four of its greenhouses.
Contact them via email at itsoseng.masupatsela@gmail.com, WhatsApp on 060 648 8884 or call 083 420 4469.
