SCOUTS South Africa has a special Water Champ Challenge badge which was developed to help focus energies around avoiding water outages and focus on water saving around the country.
The Water Champ Challenge is open to both Scouting and non-Scouting members.
Are you up for a water saving and water awareness challenge? Are you a Water Champ? Earn your badge now and wear it with pride!
The badge can be earned in one of the following categories: Cubs (children 7-10), Scouts (11 to 17 year olds) or Rovers/Adults (aged 18+).
There are 3 themes in each category:
Cubs:
Raising Awareness:
- Imagine your water taps run dry for a day. Write down or tell your Pack Scouter what you would do differently during that day without water.
- List 3 ways to ensure you use less than 50 liters of water a day.
Making sure Every Drop Counts:
- Ensure your house is as leak-free as you can make it.
- Look out for leaking taps and ask someone to fix them.
- Only flush toilets with non-drinkable or grey water.
- Look for any wasteful water practices in your home. Report back to your family on what you found out, what was done to prevent this water wastage and how many liters of water you have managed to save.
Taking Personal Action:
- Speak to your Parents or Pack Scouter about how you can assist to provide water to those in need in your family and Scout circles in the event of Day Zero and dry taps at homes.
Scouts:
Raising Awareness:
- Find out the effects of a water crisis on a community and share this knowledge with others or give a short talk in your family, your Patrol or Scout Troop on this topic.
Making sure Every Drop Counts:
- Do a project at home or at your Scout hall to save at least 5 liters of water a day more than you are saving now.
- Wash using only a small bucket 3 times a week.
Taking Personal Action:
- Agree a plan of action for you and your patrol to assist other scout members and their families or neighbourhood Homes for Care of young children or the Aged if their taps run dry.
- Personally save an additional 10 lt of water a week.
Rovers and Adults:
Raising Awareness:
- Find out how the rainfall in your region for the last year compared with long term averages and what effect is climate change projected to have on the rainfall in your region in the future (What are the prospects for water security in your region in the next 5 years?).
- Know where your nearest water collection point is and the process to follow to collect water in case of emergencies or Day Zero.
- Check your status on a map showing the water usage in your town, if it has one (e.g. City of Cape Town Water map and ensure you are ‘green’ – light or preferably dark) or other local area awareness information sources.
Two out of the three requirements need to be completed.
Making sure Every Drop Counts:
- Set up a water usage reduction activity at home, your Scout hall or in your office or local neighbourhood.
Taking Personal Action:
- Set up rainwater harvesting at your home or Scout hall, or offer to do so for those in your neighbourhood who are unable to do so themselves.
- Be a Water Saver and set an example to others by your actions regarding actually saving water each day and explain to your unit what you have done.
The requirements above can be amended for local needs by Pack Scouter, Troop Scouter or Scout Group Leader. The badges are considered and approved by the Unit leaders (PS – Cubs; TS Scouts and SGL/RS or DC – Adult/Rover levels).
For non-Scouting members, to be eligible to purchase your badge, you need to complete the relevant form below. Just fill in your name, surname, town under ‘district’ and province under ‘region’. The final sign off would happen when you submit the form at the SCOUT shop or via email to shop@scouts.org.za in order to purchase your badges.
If you wish to track what steps you have taken to become a Water Champ, you can fill in one of these forms: Water Saver badge – Cubs v1.0 2018; Water Saver Challenge Badge – Scouts v1.0 2018 or Rovers and Adults: Water Saver Challenge Badge – Rovers&Adults v01.0 2018
Badges are available at SSA outlets and can be worn just like an ‘event badge’ on the front right.