Over 60 Explorer Scouts and leaders from Hertfordshire completed an expedition of a lifetime to Swaziland during the summer.

Based at the Thirst for Life Campsite in the remote village of Buhlebuyeza, the scouts were involved in putting up two new buildings, creating an allotment garden, planting trees and distributing a wide range of items which had been generously donated in England. These items had been packed into a 40 foot sea container which took two months to get to the campsite. Among the items were bicycles, clothes, books, gardening and building equipment as well as computers for local schools.   

Speaking after the Hertfordshire contingent had arrived back in England, Bhekie Metfula, Swaziland Commissioner for Development,

 ”May I personally thank you and the entire team for making our camp a great success! We are so grateful to the Hertfordshire County for the generous contribution you have made in improving Scouting here in the Kingdom of Swaziland. We hope the existing relations have been strengthened and will remain in place for many more years to come. 

  “The container brought in many valuable items which have left an excellent image about Scouting not only in the remote village of Buhlebuyeza but to the nation as a whole. There is no organization we know that has ever donated computers to a local Primary School. We managed to do that and the Scout flag is still sky high. The International Scout friendship displayed is a lifetime experience to many and an asset we will never lose in our lifetime.”  

 In an effort to carry on towards making the Thirst for Life Scout Centre self-sustainable, the Swaziland Scouts have initiated a poultry project which will accommodate 1000 chickens, establish bee keeping hives and provide initial employment for one of their ‘out-of-school’ Rover Scouts.