By Winnie Nabude, Shamirah Nassozi & Paulah Musiime
JINJA CITY — Jinja: Scouts in Jinja are holding their annual Scouts Camp. The three day event which started on Thursday is taking place at the B.P Buwenda Training and Camping Ground.
The traditional event has attracted over 400 campers from schools around Jinja district and others from Iganga district.
Speaking at the sidelines of the camp, Mr Edgar Kabaale, the district assistant commissioner in charge of programs said the district will select the best scouts to represent it the national scout competitions to be held later this year at Kaazi.
“The scouts are interested in the activities that are taking place, they are willing to learn, they are creative, passionate, optimistic and smart,” he said. “I thank the parents and patrons for their support and bringing scouts for the camp.”
The Jinja scouts competitions are held every year and give young people an opportunity to show case their skills in comprehension, strategy and pioneering.
This year, however, the completion camp has been combined with the training camp to give an opportunity to those that missed the chance to be trained due the two year Covid-19 hiatus.
The competing schools include Kiira College Butiki, Jinja SSS, Hope Community, Holy Cross Lake View, Good Heart, St Johns Wakitaka, Kiira Primary School, St Noa Mawagali among others.
The rest of the schools including Busoga College Mwiri, Iganga Girls joined the camp as trainees.
Whereas those competing are looking forward to represent the district at the coveted National Scouts Competitions, the trainees are learning life skills and using the opportunity to build friendships.
Ms Desire Anastasia from Holly cross says, “I enjoyed and participated in the camp activities, I learnt how to raise flags and team work.”
Ms. Mutesi Trace Janet from Iganga Girls SSS says, “I was welcomed to the Camp site, given permission to tour around competitors sites and I learnt about the different camp layouts, gadgets, pioneering (Rope Work) and also how to present bases during competitions.”
She added, “I really appreciate the management of B.P Buwenda Training and Camping Ground for organizing, inviting and welcoming our school to the camp.”
The camp Commandant Mr Isaac Kamba says the camp is not without challenges.
“The two years of Covid-19 without physical scouting has affected scouting in way that we lack new recruits for the two years and the formally trained scouts have forgotten their scouting knowledge,” Mr Kamba said.
\He advises “Parents and School Leaders should Support and encourage children to join scouting and school heads should invite Trained scout leaders to come and train their scouts at schools and always encourage them to attend training camps at B.P Buwenda Training and Camping Ground.
The camp ends tomorrow (Sunday).
The writers are scout volunteers attending the camp
