Every year for Mandela Day our Scouts and Rovers implement service projects within our community. This year, 1st QwaQwa Scouts partnered with the ‘Youth Policy Committee at the South African Institute of International Affairs’ and ‘Katleho Private Tutors’ to facilitate a clean-up at the Kgolathuto Secondary School.

Under the leadership of Scouter Lebo Tsiu, Scouts and partners came together at the school to clean in and around the school. “Our Scouts cleaned up the areas outside of the school’s fence. It was very dirty and a lot of work, but the Scouts soon saw the impact of their hard work. It felt good to give back and partner with local organisations to raise awareness about the importance of clean schools for our personal health and safety. We worked in unity with each other for the health of the youth”, she explains.

“Unity is key”, adds Katleho, founder of Katleho Private Tutors (centre in the photo). “I believe that the only way that we can conquer any challenge is through unity. Events such as Mandela’s Day brought us as independent organisations together to execute a mission that will benefits both of our organisations and the school as a whole.”

“Cleaning up other people’s litter was not really pleasant, but we learnt that if papers or plastics are littered, we must pick it up. Even if you did not litter. It doesn’t mean you don’t need to pick it up to create a cleaner and safer environment for others. Especially in schools, we need to keep them clean so young people can learn and we can help them avoid illnesses”, concludes Lebo.