Written by SSA Youth Influencer, Nandi Tshabalala

Earlier this year we ran a competition to see which Meerkat, Cub,  Scout, Rover or adult volunteer could impress the SSA Youth Influencer team the most to win a coveted “I’m a Scout, of course I …”  i.Scout hiking bag! Sigma Rover Georgia Myburgh’s entry got the team excited and she was declared the winner!

“I started my Scouting journey in 2011 when I was 8 years old. I was very keen to engage in “scouty” activities and one day my parents surprised me and took me to the 4th Durban Scouts Troop. They put me in the car and told me I was going to visit my cousin, but when they took me to Scouts, I was over the moon—I couldn’t wait!”, recalls Georgia.

“As a Cub I could fulfil all my wishes of being outdoors, learning about the world, and using my hands to create. I channelled my “overachiever” energy into earning as many badges as possible, ultimately achieving the highest award for a Cub – the Leaping Wolf badge.  After Cubs I went up to Scouts but when I turned 12 I had to leave the Troop for a while. Although, I can’t exactly remember why”, she says with a smile. “When my younger sister joined the Cubs, I really wanted to return to Scouts. So at the age of 16, I came back! This time as a Cub instructor, assisting the Pack Scouters. Through this role, I learned valuable lessons about working with people under pressure. When you’re working with that many kids, it can be overwhelming. You just want to treat them all as one unit. But as I got to know each of the kids better, I learned how to work with them individually,” she shares. Overall, Georgia thoroughly enjoyed her time as a Cub instructor, saying, “It was a great time! I built meaningful connections with both the Cubs and Scouters, learning to navigate diverse personalities, a skill I still use in my adult life.”

When the pandemic struck, Georgia stepped away to focus on school. But, fast forward about four years, and she found herself at university, longing to rejoin the South African Scout Movement because her values aligned so well with Scouting’s. “Around that time, an old Scouting friend reached out, inviting me to join the Sigma Rover Crew. The Rovers seemed like the perfect fit for me, with its flexible structure tailored for adults with busy lives. I was also excited to meet up with people I knew from Scouts, who I really missed, as well as meet new people I really like. It has been so fulfilling,” she says.

Since rejoining, Georgia completed the Rover Squire programme and was invested on the 26th of October 2024. “Reflecting on my time in Rovers, I can truly say that I’m loving it, and I have no intention of leaving! Looking ahead, I hope to contribute to my community through Rovers. I appreciate the opportunity I am getting to serve while being around people I value.”

Georgia’s story shows how Scouting lessons and memories can stay with you throughout life. In her case, SCOUTS South Africa kept calling her back. Whether you’re a Troop Scouter, a Springbok Scout, or were once just a Cub years ago… once a Scout, always a Scout!