Scouting and WWF strengthen collaboration to empower Africa’s young people

Nairobi, 23 February 2019 – The African regions of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM Africa) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF Africa) are strengthening their collaboration to stimulate and empower young people to become stewards of the environment and promoters of sustainable development practices in their local communities across Africa.

 

Through a Memorandum of Understanding signed today at the Scout Founder’s Day celebrations in Nyeri, Kenya the two organizations are building on a global partnership signed in March 2018 to advance sustainable development education and action among young Africans. This cooperation recognises the enormous challenges facing our planet and the important role young people have in creating a more sustainable world.

 

WOSM Africa and WWF Africa will collaborate on developing and implementing sustainable development education programmes, projects and resources to build the capacity of and inspire five million young people in Africa to take action on sustainable development; in their schools, homes and communities. The Scouts will also join Earth Hour, a worldwide event uniting people to protect the planet, which is organized by WWF every last Saturday of March. 

 

“Scouting’s work with WWF dates back over 45 year ago. It is delightful that we can advance this collaboration in Africa. Through this MoU, we will strengthen partnerships between our National Scout Organizations and WWF country offices to inspire local actions that truly impact communities positively,” said Frederic Kama-Kama, WOSM Africa Regional Director. “Environment has always had a special place in the Scout Programme and as a movement we continue to offer ourselves to its protection and regeneration.”

 

“WWF is committed to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. By working with the Scout movement in Africa to educate young people in conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption, we hope to do our part in leaving a better word for future generations,” said Frederick Kwame, the WWF Africa Regional Director.

 

This cooperation aligns with Scouting’s World Scout Environmental Programme and its recently launched “Scouts for SDGs” global mobilisation campaign. For WWF Africa, this will go a long way in driving its work with young people towards the achievement of Africa Sustainable Ecological Futures strategy.

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Notes to Editors:

 

In November 2018, WOSM launched the world’s largest coordinated youth contribution to the SDGs dubbed “Scouts for SDGs” providing information, resources and documenting local actions of over 50 million Scouts worldwide. Find out more at http://sdgs.scout.org

 

WWF runs “Earth Hour” a mass movement that aims at building mass awareness on the importance of nature and popularizing climate and environmental action across the globe. This year’s Earth Hour events will take place on 30 March 2019. Find out more at https://www.earthhour.org

 

For more information, please contact:

Nelson Opany, Manager of Communications and Partnerships,

World Scout Bureau Africa Support Centre, Nairobi, Kenya

E-mail: nopany@scout.org

Tel: +254 (20) 2450985, +254 728 496553

 

Martina Lippuner, Communications Manager,

WWF Regional Office for Africa, Nairobi, Kenya

Email: mlippuner@wwfafrica.org

Tel: +254 20 2124744, +254 740 048 825

 

About WOSM

Scouting is one of the world’s leading educational youth movements, engaging millions of young people around the world to be active citizens and create positive change in their communities. Founded by Lord Baden-Powell in 1907, WOSM is a confederation of 171 National Scout Organizations in a network of over 50 million Scouts in at least 224 countries and territories worldwide. WOSM is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Scouting is present in 47 countries. Find out more at https://www.scout.org. Follow us on Facebook @scoutinginafrica and tweet us @ScoutingAfrica.

 

About WWF

WWF is one of the world’s largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in more than 100 countries and territories. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption. Visit www.panda.org/news for latest news and media resources and follow us on Facebook @wwfafrica and tweet us @wwfafrica.

  • WOSM Africa-WWF Africa MoU Press Release 2019 (Final)FR.pdf