| Kenya Scouts Association | |||
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| Country | Kenya | ||
| Founded | November 24, 1910 | ||
| Membership | 323,929 | ||
| Patron | Mwai Kibaki | ||
| Chief Scout | Ole Kaparo | ||
| Chief Commissioner | Kalonzo Musyoka | ||
| Affiliation | World Organization of the Scout Movement | ||
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| Website kenyascouts.org |
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The Kenya Scouts Association is the national Scouting association of Kenya. Scouting was founded in British East Africa in 1910, and became a member of the World Organization of the Scout Movement in 1964. It has 323,929 members (as of 2011).[1]
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Robert Baden-Powell, and his wife Olave, visited Kenya in 1935 on the way to South Africa, and spent time in Nyeri, near Mount Kenya, where his former personal secretary Eric Sherbrooke Walker ran a hotel. They returned in 1937, and at the end of 1938, he and Olave retired to Paxtu cottage, built specially for them at Nyeri. Lord and Lady Baden-Powell lived there until his death there on January 8, 1941 and are buried at Nyeri. His gravestone bears a circle with a dot in the center, which is the trail sign for "I have gone home":
Lady Baden-Powell moved back to England after his death, but is buried beside Lord Baden-Powell. Baden-Powell's Paxtu cottage, now a small museum, stands on the grounds of the Outspan Hotel. For years it served as a WAGGGS World Center.
In 1982, J.J.M. Nyagah was awarded the Bronze Wolf, the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting fraternity.
Scouting in Kenya focuses on urban and rural community development needs. Community service is required for the early rank advancement and includes hospital visits, blood donations, helping the aged, planting trees, adult literacy campaigns, road and bridge construction, first aid training, building schools and homes for the aged, as well as many other projects. The conservation of nature is a major program emphasis. The senior conservation badge is a required badge in order to earn the highest rank, Lion Scout.
The Scout Motto is Uwe Tayari, which means "Be Prepared" in Swahili.
The KSA runs the Extension Scout Program, or Street Scouts as it is often called. In 2007, about 4000 children were enrolled and the number was growing. The program organises Scout groups for street children. The program also reaches out to children that go to orphanages during the day, but live on the streets at night. Children learn life skills as well as receiving basic health care. They can get practical job training and support to re-enter the education system. In some cases, children have been re-united with their families. The program has been so successful that it has spread to other countries, including Uganda and Tanzania.
Scouts Canada has been helping the KSA run the Street Scouts for several years.[2] Ten Street Scouts attended the 11th Canadian Scout Jamboree in 2007.
The membership badge of the Kenya Scouts Association features Mount Kenya, in the national colors of the flag of Kenya.
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