The U-Fund
Supporting better Scouting for more young Africans
The Universal Scout Fund, better known as the U Fund was established in 1963 as a way for Scouts all over the world to help Scouts in developing countries in their development projects.
The contributions were distributed at the discretion of the World Scout Bureau to support a wide range of Scout community projects including response to emergencies arising from natural disasters, and to encourage the growth of Scouting. Scout U-Fund grants were given for projects in areas such as:
- Health and sanitation
- Conservation of the environment
- Food production
- Literacy
- Job skills and employment
It was designed to help Scouts help other Scouts.
Genève, 13 mars 2009 – A l’ocassion de la Journée du Scoutisme Africain, le Scoutisme Mondial lance une campagne de dons “aider les jeunes à s’aider eux-mêmes”, avec le soutien du Fonds Scout Universel (“U” Fund). Ce fond a été établi en 1963 pour fournir des moyens pour tous les membres du Mouvement Scout qui veulent aider des Scouts d’autres pays dans leurs activités de développement.
Specific projects in the Africa Region
The Africa Regional Office identified the uFund as a possible vehicle for mobilising funds to support Scout projects in the Region. Consequently a proposal was forwarded to the U Fund Monitoring Group of the World Scout Committee to have the U Fund dedicated to supporting projects in the Africa Scout Region.
The proposal was accepted and the U Fund was relaunched in January 2003 for Africa for a period of three years. It will be managed and promoted by the Africa Regional Office and will operate under the theme: helping Scouts make a difference in Africa.
The Africa Regional Office will therefore raise funds through the U Fund to support specific projects in the Africa Region of which three have been considered as priority areas. These are:
- HIV/AIDS awareness education
- Reaching out to Children in Especially Difficult Circumstances (CIEDC)
- Peace Education through Scouting
Grants will therefore be made to National Scout Associations/Organisations undertaking activities in the above mentioned categories.
