Mail & Guardian (Johannesburg) - November 29, 2005
Mail & Guardian reporter

The youth are more likely to bear the brunt of the HIV/Aids pandemic. No one knows this better than the South African Scout Association, an organisation that is focused on the youth.

It is fundamental that the association bear the responsibility of working in tandem with schools, the media and communities by educating, developing and equipping the youth, said Luke van der Laan, chief executive of the association.

"The HIV/Aids pandemic affects the lives of all young people by changing the nature of the society in which we live. This is especially apparent in communities faced with the challenges of poverty."

Every country in Southern Africa faces increased rates of infection that will reach an average of 40% prevalence between 2010 and 2020. The orphaning of children will continue eight to 10 years after the infection rates peak.

Scout-age youth, between seven and 18 years, are most affected by the HIV/Aids pandemic. Some of the effects are loss of family and identity, increased malnutrition and starvation, loss of health status, loss of educational opportunities, forced migration, homelessness, vagrancy and crime, exposure to HIV infection, increased poverty, higher child mortality and fewer vocational opportunities.

At the 2005 Southern Africa Scout Conference in Maseru, Lesotho, the scout associations of Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe agreed to participate in Aids awareness activities across Southern Africa to show concern about the havoc wreaked on families and communities by HIV/Aids, and to express scoutingÆs collective commitment to tackling the problem.

This is the first time the scouts of Southern Africa will unite in an event of such magnitude.

"HIV/Aids is now recognised as the most serious threat ever, to peace, happiness and civil development," said Chris Mbanga, chairman of the Southern Africa Scout Executive Committee. "As the largest youth organisation in the world, scouting cannot and will not stay away from the collective efforts that our governments, religious bodies, NGOs and the United Nations are putting together to stop this pandemic."

Activities on World Aids Day will range from distribution of educational materials and talks at public gatherings to prayer meetings and visits to people affected by the disease.

To symbolise their resolve and illustrate their solidarity, the scouts will wear their uniforms and scarves for the day, and will display an Aids awareness badge on their shirts. The scenario will be repeated in some form by scouts in all areas of the Southern Africa zone of the Africa Scout Region.

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