Supplied by Anele Bengu

As Gilwell Reunions bring Scouters together to celebrate adult leader skills development. friendships, and Scouting memories, Copesville Primary School Troop Scouter Anele’s Bengu’s journey comes full circle. From joining Scouting as a Cub within the KZN Scouting-in-Schools Channel as a child, to becoming an adult leader and now a Wood Badge holder.

“I joined Scouting at Copesville Primary School in Pietermaritzburg as a Troop Scouter about four years ago when Scouting was introduced. I teach Grade 5 maths and was excited to step into Scouting as a volunteer because I had fond memories of my own time in Scouting as a child. My Scouting journey started in Primary School but it was only offered for a short period, so it ended much sooner that I had hoped. Being back has brought back all the good memories from the good old days,” explains Anele.

“I really enjoy meeting and new friends, getting experiences I could not have imagined, and being outdoors, hiking and camping. But it is the impact Scouting has on people that keeps me going. I have seen how it transforms people. Copesville Primary is situated in a low-income area and is mostly a squatter settlement. I believe that Scouting creates a path for some of the learners to see life in different angles and that it is not poverty that defines them. Scouting moulds them into successful people and shows them that you are not defined by where you come from, you are defined by how hard you work and the choices you make. Scouting builds character and changes lives. One step at a time.

I had one learner who was troublesome just before we founded Scouting in our school. He joined the Movement and we immediately started seeing a better version of him. Before the year ended, he was nominated by his peers to become a Patrol Leader. He took it so seriously! At our school our security guards were the ones to prepare and raise the South African flag in the morning, and then break it at the end of the day. But after he learned how to do this in Scouting, he became the sole responsible child to do it. He did it with honour and also taught other Scouts how to do it. We didn’t teach it anymore, he did. He loved it! The difference in him showed and even other teachers could not stop saying how much had changed and how he had become a caring joyful child who loved life. It was very fulfilling to see. Unfortunately, two year ago, during the December holidays he passed away. It was so sad as he had so much to give. But I know that his legacy lives on through the children he inspired while he was in Grade 6,” she says.

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Recently, Anele joined the global Gillwell family when she obtained her Scouting Wood Badge, the highest level of the Scout Movement’s Adult Leader training. “ I have always loved learning. My passion for Scouting made me want to learn more about it. The Wood Badge training was very good. It gave me a different perspective of how Scouting can be done. The way the School Groups do things is very different to how the Community Channel does it and how Scouts.Digital is used. It was enlightening and very fruitful. Some of the projects I did for my Wood Badge included assisting with the organisation of the 2025 Gillwell Reunion at the BP Scout Camp here in KZN, as well as a Scout camp for Scouts from 6 different schools in our District. At the camp we covered First Aid training, we went into the Patrol System and worked on various Scout craft skills. I believe in the value of the Patrol System as it is most useful for the Scouts. It helps them learn how to be a leader and take responsibility. It teaches them not to wander off by themselves and to have friends around them as it is much safer. It teaches them how to organise themselves and work together. The Patrol Leader gets training and gets to be in charge. In Scouting children learn through interaction and learning by doing. So being in charge teaches them to be reliable and how to cooperate with others. We work better when we are in a team as two minds are better than one.”

When asked how she feels being a Wood Badge holder, she smiles and says: “It is such a huge honour to be part of the Wood Badge holders. When I came back into Scouting as a Troop Scouter I didn’t think I would progress to Wood Badge. But when I got the opportunity I thought let me continue and try. It was a lot of hard work but so worth it! It is such an honour.”

The one thing that Anele’s Scouts enjoy regularly that stems from when she was a Scout are campfire songs! “I loved the games and the singing. I remember preparing the items to act out at the campfires and inventing and rehearsing songs to sing. My Scouts sing A LOT and we have so much fun doing it,” she laughs.