Lutho Moyoya recently joined the team of youth influencers. Their role is to share the lifechanging impact Scouting has in the lives of young people and community members around the country. We know that every Scout has a powerful story to tell, and Lutho’s Scouting story packs a punch!

“Most of the Scouts I have met had a reason to join Scouting. My reason for joining is not significant. My reason for staying in Scouting is a life changer. I joined SCOUTS South Africa not knowing what it was. If I am honest, I was just following the crowd. Once I was a Scout, I made friends that turned into family, and we did different activities that I enjoyed. My curiosity was peaked, my interest was sparked, and I was excited for the types of adventures we would be getting up to. That is the reason I stayed with 2nd Gonubie Sea Scouts which became a 2nd home for me.

One of my best memories was definitely 2nd Gonubie’s Grand Tour in 2022. The tour was a breath of fresh air! It was different because we had planned and arranged everything to every last detail. We visited Scouts along the Eastern and Western Cape, sharing experiences with new Troops and learning a lot. It was a raw compulsion of fun with friends from home and friends picked up along the way, 9 days of adventure!

Through it all, I 100% believe that Scouting gives children leadership opportunities within the Scout Movement. Outdoor skills and learning in action really does make a big difference in the lives of young people. Our programmes teach kids the responsibility of leadership, time management and decision making, whether at a regular Scout night, on a hike, or on a camp. I gained and tested my leadership skills through Scouting and they have helped me in my personal life as well. I became a leader at church and a Prefect in High School.

In fact, I would say Scouting taught me the two biggest words I live by in life, perseverance and discipline. Because of these words I have survived many challenges in my personal life. I’ve been able to see traps that I probably would’ve fallen into if I was not a Scout. I can’t see myself not being involved in the Scouting because of how significant it’s been in my life”, he explains.

“Scouts live by a code. I’ve learned that if you respect the code, it respects you. The Scout Promise and Law are values to shape a Scout into a respectable young person. This creates a friendly and safe environment for Scout members and spills over into our community and life in general. I really value the Promise and Law and teach them to the younger Scouts I support as a volunteer. The benefit of being a Scout volunteer is that I can teach and pass on the torch to younger Scouts. I can teach the skills based on my experiences which helps better their Scouting journey. Seeing people who are younger than me succeed is the best reward for being a Rover and an adult volunteer”, he adds.

Scouting’s programmes are all about growing the leadership abilities of young people within our country.  How important is it to develop youth leadership? “Scouts taking leadership roles within the Scout Movement is crucial for me. I believe everyone should get the chance to experience what it’s like being a leader and then make decisions from there. A lot of Scouts are shy, but sometimes the leadership helps with that. I believe they gain confidence in what they do, and they use that in their personal lives, which is a benefit.

The concept of being a Rover is different to being a Scout. In Rovers you make decisions for yourself and that is a big game-changer. You learn how to navigate yourself within Rovering, and that teaches you how to navigate within life. It teaches you the basic concepts of being an adult. One of my favourite Rover experiences is when we hosted the last night of the year. We had loads of fun with the Scouts!

In short, Scouting teaches a lot of things and no matter what age you are there’s always a place for you in Scouting, and the variety of things we do, all teach positive habits. Scouting is different because you never know what to expect, what kind of events there are going to be, and that makes it unique and special. When you’re a Scout you feel part of a family because of the Promise and Law, and the uniformity. That’s what separates Scouting from other youth activities. My biggest dream is to go into logistics. It’s always been a passion of mine, and I intend to pursue it. My Scouting skills will help me persevere.”