During a colourful ceremony, Ms. Anna Tibaijuka, Director General, UN Office at Nairobi and Regional Director, WOSM – Africa, Ms. Rubina Haroon inspected a guard of honour mounted by 200 Scouts and Guides at UN Office at Nairobi (UNON), on February 4, 2008.

In the aftermath of the election violence that ensued in Kenya, Scouts in Nairobi, Eldoret and in Nakuru offered a helping hand to IDPs fleeing from their homes.

Nakuru

In Nakuru, in a community service exercise led by the Area Commissioner, Mr. Joseph Wahome and the Leader Trainer, Mr. Simon Muthoga, 25 Scouts provided assistance to IDPs at the Nakuru Show Ground from December 31st, 2007 – just 4 days after the election. The operation is still on-going, in close collaboration with the Red Cross.

On behalf of the Africa Regional Office, the Communications Assistant and IT Support person, Amos Ndegwa attended the The Fourth Web for Development Conference with the theme, "Driving economic and social development with the Internet" at the UN-HABITAT Headquarters.

The second meeting of the East African Guides and Scouts on Drug Demand Reduction hosted by the IOGT-NTO Movement International Institute was held in Nairobi between the 19th and the 21st of October 2007. It had four objectives, namely:

The three northern regions of Ghana experienced torrential rainfalls which resulted in flooding of most areas. This brought about collapsing of most buildings, washing away of farmlands and turning the areas into a disaster zone. An S.O.S call was made to Ghanaians to give a helping hand to the people in these areas. Ghana Scout Association, as a voluntary organization heeded to its call and planned a programme dubbed Operation Northern Star.

Thanks to the partnership between the Eclaireurs et Eclaireuses du Sénégal and Guides et Scouts du Luxembourg, about a hundred Senegalese students have recently graduated in various fields. The ceremony took place in the compound of the Centre International de Formation Pratique (Cifop) in Mboro.

With a view to strengthen partnership between the Africa Region and the Scout Association of Japan, the latter hosted six leaders from Africa from 15th to 26th October 2007. The invitation programme was sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Japan. The objectives of the program were to observe the 22nd Asia-Pacific Regional Scout Conference in Tokyo, promote international understanding and friendship, enrich Scouting programme and ideas through sharing of information and experiences, and deepen knowledge of Japan's society, culture, economy, nature, etc, through visits in various cities.

Courtesy: Paul Musembi, Youth Advisor, WSC - Africa Region
In a bid to gather and share ideas, the 2nd Eastern Africa Zonal Youth Forum is set to take place in Nairobi Kenya. The forum will be held at Rowallan National Scouts Training Centre in Nairobi which hosts the National Headquarters for Kenya Scouts & the World Scout Bureau Africa Regional Office. This venue is ear-marked to host the 2010 World Rover Moot if it meets the requirements.

Between 22nd and 25th October 2007, the Kenya Scouts Association organized a Communication Workshop at Embu Scout Centre. The forum was attended by 24 Assistant Area Commissioners in charge of Research, Communication and Gender, at the District level.

After seven months of internship at the WSB/ARO, in Nairobi, Lynette Anyango Odhiambo finds herself in an upward mobility bliss. This time round, at Corto Safaris LTD, in Arusha, Tanzania. She has been appointed Reservation and Communications Manager. After a farewell ceremony at the Africa Regional Office, she was asked how she felt, and she had this to say: