Sierra Leone

Promise:

Girl Guide Promise

I promise on my honour that I will do my best:
To do my duty to God,
To serve my country and help other people, and
To keep the Guide Law.

Brownie Guide Promise

I promise that I will do my best:
To do my duty to God,
To serve my country and help other people, and
To keep the Brownie Guide Law.

Sunray Promise

I promise to do my best to love God and to be friendly and helpful

Law:

Girl Guide Law

1 A Guide is loyal and can be trusted.

2 A Guide is helpful.

3 A Guide is polite and considerate.

4 A Guide is friendly to all and a sister to all Guides.

5 A Guide is kind to animals and plants and sees in nature the work of God.

6 A Guide is obedient.

7 A Guide has courage and is cheerful in all difficulties.

8 A Guide makes good use of her time, money and talents.

9 A Guide takes care of her own possessions and those of other people.

10 A Guide controls herself and is clean in all she thinks, says and does.

Brownie Guide Law

A Brownie Guide thinks of others before herself and does a good turn every day.

Motto:

Girl Guide Motto - Be Prepared

Brownie Guide Motto - Lend a Hand

Sunray motto - Love and friendship (LAF)

Age groups:

Ranger 16+

Guide 10-16

Brownie Guide 7-10

Sunrays 4-6

Development of the movement:

When Guiding was introduced to Sierra Leone in 1924 most units were attached to schools in the Freetown area. The Association, a Branch Association of the Guide Association (UK), spread to the rest of Sierra Leone with the establishment of secondary schools in provincial towns and improved communications to remote areas.

Programme:

The Association uses an eight-point programme based on physical fitness, the mind, outdoor enjoyment, homecraft skills, service to others, human relations, creativity and character.

A small Brownie pack and Guide company have been established in the Cheshire Home for special needs children.

Relationship to society:

Service projects are carried out by all age groups. The continuing project carried out in the Mountain Rural District has been of great benefit to the inhabitants as the participants worked with their peers to teach them what they had learnt. The vegetable garden is greatly improved and a ready market is found in the city. The school has continued to flourish.

The George Brook and Lumley projects came to an end in 1992. The women in both communities all benefited greatly from what they learnt.

In 1995, two Guide leaders participated in youth service training schemes in Kenya working with refugees and displaced persons. After the training, both trainers were commissioned by WAGGGS to continue their work. They drew up project plans and these were accepted and financed by WAGGGS and UNHCR. The projects started in 1996 and great progress was made. The programme included adult literacy, health education and sanitation, as well as home skills. Just as phase one was reaching this conclusion, the May 1997 coup-de-tat took place. The camps were looted and the equipment was taken. The occupants of the camps had to seek refuge elsewhere until the legitimate government was restored in March 1998. The participants regrouped at their camps and the Project coordinators were able to replace the lost equipment and phase II of the project was started in May. The programme now included tie dying and gara, batik, weaving, crochet and soap making. In spite of the invasion of Freetown in January 1999, the project continued and was concluded in June 2000. A graduation ceremony was held on 1st July 2000 at which the participants received certificates and an amount of money to enable each one to start up her own handicraft business. 75 young women have benefited from this project. They have pledged to go back and teach what they have learnt to members of their community as they resettle in the home towns and villages.

Work with some amputees at the amputee camp was undertaken and groups of young girls who lost limbs during the rebel atrocities were identified by members of the Girl Guide Association.

Communication and Co-operation

The Association encourages members to participate in international activities and many Guides correspond with pen friends in other countries.

In 1989 a twinning project was initiated between the Guide Associations in Sierra Leone and the State of Alberta, Canada. The two community development projects in George Brook and Lumley were products of this co-operation.

The general public in Sierra Leone is informed about Guiding activities through the media. An annual broadcast is given on World Thinking Day, and Guides are asked to participate in televised youth programmes. A quarterly circular letter is also published.

Training:

The Association now has a national training pool headed by the Commissioner for Training. This pool consists of the newly appointed National Trainer who is one of the qualified local trainers, and nine others who are voluntary trainers. The team has been using the WAGGGS training kit with modifications to suit the needs of the girls and young women of Sierra Leone.

The training programmes have been further enhanced and more training sessions are being carried out for all sectors of the Association.

Outdoor and Environmental Activities

Guides and Rangers attend regular camps, and Brownies participate in pack holidays. Guides and Rangers enjoy hikes with specific aims: eg fact finding and discovery. Sunrays enjoy nature rambles.

Projects

• BPAC Sierra Leone
• HIV/AIDS prevention programme