Improving road safety for the Nepalese community was just one of the activities undertaken by twenty-four Explorer Scouts from Cabot District (Bristol North West), who recently ran a camp in the Chitwan area of Nepal for 300 local Scouts.
As well as creating fun workshops for Scouts of all ages, Scout Leader Fiona Lawrence, Director of Business Development and Partnerships at UWE Bristol, linked up with colleague Professor Julie Mytton, who is leading a NIHR funded road safety research programme in Nepal, to see how road safety could be incorporated into the camp’s activities.
Working with Nepalese researchers from UWE Bristol and Kathmandu Medical College, the Explorers ran an activity for the Nepalese Scouts to identify unsafe roads in their communities and a first aid demonstration, showing what they should do if they came across someone hurt in a road crash. At the end of the camp, the Nepalese Scouts wanted to do something to make their roads safer and decided that they needed safe crossing places near their school. The Bristol Explorers were able to fund the road paint and the local mayor gave permission for the Scouts to paint three new zebra crossings in their communities.
Fiona said: “This was a great opportunity for our Explorers to work with researchers and Scouts in Nepal to make a real difference for the community. They absolutely loved it. We are hoping that this partnership will continue long into the future and be sustainable.”
Rob Laurence, Party Leader for Cabot District Scouts, said: “We were thrilled to visit Nepal once again and share in so many experiences with the Chitwan Scouts and the local community, building friendships that will last a lifetime. Our brilliant team of Explorers were able to use their training and share their knowledge with the local Scouts, whilst experiencing such a warm and hospitable welcome to a very different culture and way of life – all made possible through the worldwide Scouting community.”
Professor Julie Mytton said: “Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death in young men in Nepal. This was a fantastic example of how young people can make a real difference by advocating for safer roads in their local area”.
Hari Bhandary, Founder/Director of Clinic Nepal in Meghauli, Chitwan, and the host of the Scout camp said: “Once again, we were delighted to welcome the Explorer Scouts from Bristol. Scouts in Chitwan have been involved in many community projects in recent years. This was an excellent opportunity for them to help the research team understand young people’s awareness of road safety and how Scouts could help their local communities and make a difference”.
George Weeks, Bristol Explorer, said: “It was an amazing experience which I will remember for the rest of my life”.
To enable the camp to go ahead, the Explorer Scouts raised over £15,000 by washing cars, bake sales and putting on quiz nights. They have a long-standing partnership with the Friendship Scout Troop in Chitwan and have visited Nepal three times over nine years. Camps were postponed during Covid and this was the first time since the pandemic that the Explorers had been able to visit.
For further details contact project officer Dio Kordopati at dio.kordopati@uwe.ac.uk.