The Chief Commissioner, Sylvain Rurangwa expressed optimism that the Project would take the Association to greater heights in terms of skills acquisition, growth and image building. He noted that positive image for the Association, is especially crucial at this point in time, as the Association is preparing to host the 13th Africa Scout Conference in 2007. The Project will last for 18 months and targets to raise the membership of the Association by more than 25 percent.
Present at the planning workshop and the launch ceremony was the Regional Director for the World Scout Bureau, Africa Region, Kinuthia Murugu, together with other staff from the Regional Office. Later, the Regional Director, and the top leaders of the Rwanda Scout Association called on the Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports who expressed the government’s appreciation to the World Organization of the Scout Movement, and the Jacobs Foundation, for having identified Rwanda as one of the pioneer beneficiaries of the Leadership Project. He urged the Association to deliver on their promise in the Project.
The Project is set to be rolled out in Seychelles Scout Association at the end of February, and shortly thereafter, to Angola Scout Association. The first six countries in which the Project is currently running include; South Africa, Mauritius, Burundi, Ethiopia, Niger and the Gambia.
The Project aims at improving leadership skills for the young people in Scouting, so that they can be prepared to bring positive change to their Associations, among their peers, their families and their communities. It is implemented by National Scout Associations in Africa, with coordination from the World Scout Bureau, Africa Regional Office and financial support from the Jacobs Foundation in Switzerland.