Sea Scouts build new jungle gym for local primary school
The Scouts' efforts have provided the children with a safe and exciting playground.
1st Kibler Park Sea Scouts have brought smiles to the faces of the learners at Greyville Primary School in Lenasia by completing a special project – constructing a new jungle gym for the children.
Led by 17-year-old Karinah Chengalaryan, the team of Scouts, Hannah Boyley (15), Amy Williams (12), Kgosi Sehoole (16), Botshelo Sehoole (16), Kayden Gilbert (15), and Taresh Narain (15), completed the project despite early challenges and finishing ahead of schedule.
This initiative was part of the Springbok Award Major Project, a requirement for earning South Africa’s highest scouting honour.
The Springbok Award is not easily achieved; it requires Scouts to demonstrate outstanding leadership, perseverance, and a deep commitment to service.
To earn the award, Scouts must complete various advanced tasks that challenge them physically, mentally, and emotionally. The major project is one of the most demanding requirements; often taking months of careful planning, fundraising and executing community coordination.
The project, which took several weeks to complete, showcased the Scouts’ teamwork, problem-solving skills and dedication to community service. For this group of young leaders, this meant dedicating countless hours to preparation and ensuring every detail of the jungle gym project was handled efficiently.
“The Springbok journey is about more than just completing tasks. It requires developing skills in problem-solving, project management, and the ability to lead others under pressure. For many Scouts, balancing these responsibilities with school, family, and other commitments is a significant challenge,” said Karinah.
The Springbok Award is earned by less than 1% of Scouts. Scouts must demonstrate leadership in real-world situations, face obstacles, and come up with creative solutions.
For Karinah, Greyville Primary holds personal significance, as her parents, Ravi Chengalaryan and Cindy Veran, attended the school in their primary days. The motivation for the project was to give back to the school that gave so much to her family and many others.
Through Karinah’s leadership and the hard work of her team, the jungle gym will provide a safe, fun space for future generations of children to enjoy.
Karinah expressed her gratitude to everyone involved in making the project a success, especially her fellow Scouts and their families. A special thank you was given to Afeera Kahn, principal of Greyville Primary, for her support, as well as to the TechFactorial team whose sponsorship made the project possible.
“This jungle gym stands as a lasting legacy, a symbol of what can be achieved through teamwork, leadership, and a desire to give back.
“The successful completion of this project brings me closer to earning the Springbok Award, a prestigious honour that reflects my commitment and that of my team, to making a positive impact on our community,” highlighted Karinah.
