Written by Sharik Ramjee., edited by Pia Ramcharitan, SSA Youth Influencer KZN

My name is Sharik Ramjee, and I joined the Surat Hindoo Scout Group as a Cub just a few months before my 7th birthday. I used this time to determine whether I enjoyed Cubbing and if I should stay. Inevitably I really enjoyed it and went on to get invested just after I turned seven. When I joined, I was very shy and didn’t know anyone there, but the fun games and interesting activities helped me develop bonds with the other children there.

When I turned 11 I went up to Scouts, after having achieved my Leaping Wolf as a Cub. This is the highest award achievable for a Cub. I was excited to move up as I had always seen the incredible and challenging tasks the Scouts did, and now I was also going to be a part of that.

After a few years of learning new skills and going on many camps and hikes, I became a Patrol Leader. I was very serious about Scouting and was constantly working on my advancement badges.

Finally, the time for me to begin my Springbok journey arrived. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I decided I’d take it one step at a time. Shortly after I began doing requirements, the Coronavirus pandemic arrived. We went into lockdown. I was very concerned as time was passing and I was unable to work on the requirements. My schoolwork had also been getting very heavy and I was discouraged from continuing Springbok.

However, thanks to the support from my Scouting friends and Troop Leaders, I managed to keep on track. My fellow Springboks and I did our Community Service projects at the KZN Region’s BP Campsite, where we helped build retaining walls around the campsites. I also organised my Springbok camp at the same venue. This meant 2 out of the 4 major projects were complete and this motivated me to complete the others. In time, I was able to overcome the challenges and complete all my projects, which meant I was able to stand with my head high knowing all my hard work paid off and I was awarded my Springbok badge.