Members of the 1st Bryanston Scout Group have been hard at work on a number of service projects linked to the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs).
As part of their usual Friday evening meetings, Scouts learned about and constructed trench gardens in the grounds of their Scout Hall. Seedlings were planted and there are now six trench gardens producing a variety of veggies including spinach, cabbage, carrots and tomatoes. Produce from the harvest will be donated to the Bryanston Methodist Church for use in their soup kitchen.
Adult leader in the Scout troop Dieter Eckert said the project was chosen to show Scouts that it is possible to grow vegetables to sustain a family on a small piece of ground. Scouts have volunteered each week at the soup kitchen, helping serve meals to displaced people at three locations in the Bryanston area.
The UN sustainable development goals are a global initiative designed to end poverty, hunger and inequality, take action on climate change and the environment, improve access to health and education and build strong institutions and partnerships by 2020.
Earlier this year, the World Organisation of the Scout Movement launched its ‘Scouts for SDGs’ campaign mobilising some 50 million scouts worldwide to provide the largest coordinated youth contribution to these goals. Locally, Scouts SA has challenged Scouts to involve themselves in projects focusing on ending poverty and hunger, promoting good health and quality education. The 1st Bryanston Group has also focused on teaching children basic first aid skills, implementing an Aids awareness peer-educator programme, collecting books and educational toys for schools in impoverished areas and more.
Eckert said, “It is important to make the youth aware of the many economic and social issues that we face as a country.”
Next year, the group will focus on new projects linked to some of the other sustainable development goals.
Details: gary.pienaar@scouts.org.za
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