AFTER a long journey, filled with hurdles to overcome, adventures to embark upon and wisdom to impart to her fellow scouts, Aarushi Bhoora, 17, a 1^st Umbogintwini Scout, became the first female to receive the Scout Springbok Award, with her ceremony held at the Church of the Good Shepherd on September 26.

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She was only 10 years old when she joined the 1^st Umbogintwini Cub group and now she proudly reflects on seven years of important lessons, defining experiences and wonderful friendships.

One lesson she learnt during her scouting journey is that fear is temporary. She looked back on a Springbok Scout hike she attended during her earlier scouting days.

“I was absolutely terrified. My parents were not going to be with me, there would be no adults around, and my mind raced with anxiety. I was actually considering quitting. Ultimately, I gathered up the courage to honour my commitment and went on the hike. The moment I was out there in the Drakensberg mountain, surrounded by my fellow scouts, all of my anxiety started fading away. We spent the hike singing, laughing, and talking. Facing that challenge allowed me to make unforgettable memories, and it made me realise just how much I would have missed out on if I had allowed fear to win,” said Aarushi.

During the ceremony, she expressed profound gratitude to everyone that had contributed towards her journey.

She said that one person stood out the most, however – Shawn Collins, who achieved his Springbok Scout award in 2023.

“When I first moved up from cubs to scouts, he went out of his way to welcome me and guided me through the requirements. Over time, he became a role model and felt like an older brother whom I deeply respected and looked up to. Witnessing how hard he worked to reach his goals, combined with his incredible determination and perseverance, I was really inspired. Following his example is mostly the reason why I became motivated to pursue my own Springbok Award,” she said.

The Springbok Award

This represents the pinnacle of scouting achievement in SA. It offers scouts the opportunity to lead their patrol and troop through projects that test their skills, resilience and leadership. While working towards the award, scouts also mentor younger scouts. The journey includes mastery of six themes including adventure, safety awareness, living outdoors, service, scout skills and personal development.

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