My name is Mtha Nazo, SSA Youth Influencer for the Eastern Cape South Region. When I was around nine years old I joined Scouting having been introduced by Mr Nqini who I soon came to know as ‘Rhino’. As a young girl, I looked forward to Scouting because it started to play a huge role in my life. I was able to learn things that I wasn’t taught at school nor at home. On Friday afternoon when the school bell rang, I would rush home to prepare my bags because I knew I did not want to miss the trip to our memorable camps.

Scouting also introduced me to hiking, and since that first hike I did as a Scout I have never looked back. Scouting inspired me to be around nature and to truly realise that the environment, the earth is a place we need to preserve and not destroy through our selfish actions.

I was able to learn things that I wasn’t taught at school nor at home

Moreover, Scouting empowered me as an individual through the many activities we did from knowing how to tie knots, to putting up a tent, setting up a fire, navigating a campus when you are lost, knowing what to do when you are stuck in an isolated place and what to do when there is a life and death emergency and someone needs your help.

Overall Scouting afforded me the opportunity of learning intrinsic life lessons that no other institution or organisation could have taught me. Scouting truly made me a better person and a better citizen. I am also grateful for leaders such as Rhino who demonstrated to me that a girl can do anything. As a young girl living in a society that still has sexist and patriarchal views, Scouting proved to me that the underestimation of women is not the truth because through the Scout Movement I did what boys could do and at times did it even better. Scouting builds communities, introduces you to lasting relationships and empowers you to be better and live a life of service.