Photo: LinkedIn
Mrs Farai Ntuli recently joined the Scout Board. Farai is the Africa Livelihoods and Education Lead for Accenture Development Partnerships. Through her work in international and youth development and gender equality she is shaping and creating opportunities for growth and youth employment in Africa and Asia. Farai has received many accolades for her work, most recently she was recognised in the Donors Africa 2024, Top 50 African Women in Development. We sat down with her to discuss her drive for enabling social change and her insights into the role of Scouting therein.
“I have always had a desire to make a difference and an impact. God instilled in me a purpose of servant leadership on earth. I recall my first major leadership role was as the Head Girl of my alma mater High School, HeronBridge College. I was the first black Head Girl, and it was my goal to serve the student body to the best of my abilities, and to prove that black girls were capable of leading. From Head Girl at High School, I then took on various roles throughout my university career and this has translated into the workplace. A core component of my leadership is servant leadership. Servant leadership is the idea that a leader puts the needs of others first and empowers others to develop and perform to the best of their abilities. Servant leadership has enabled me to grow into a trusted leader with a reputation for empowering others and driving sustainable social impact”, she explains.
Her servant leadership experience aligns with a volunteer driven Movement such a SCOUTS South Africa. “Unfortunately, I have never been involved in Scouting, but I have always been so attracted to the critical lifelong skills young people gain from Scouts. I do wish more South African youth were exposed to Scouts and the key values of honesty, loyalty, responsibility, and respect instilled in young people, as well as the strong leadership skills that drive service to one’s community.
Young people can lead at any age, we should trust in our leadership abilities and values.
A lot of people are under the impression that leadership only begins when you’re in your 40s or even 50s. We attribute leadership to roles and titles such as CEO, COO and CFO. And yet, leadership has no age restriction. Young people are at times hesitant to take up leadership roles because of the notion that leadership is reserved for those who are older or reserved for certain titles. It is so key that as young people we know that we can lead at any age, and that we trust in our leadership abilities and values. Some of the most incredible leaders I have met are under 35 years old. Leadership is such a critical skill to gain. Leadership is not only about leading others but also leading yourself. Developing the discipline to show up, live a principled life and positively impact others. Scouting instils this belief and behaviour and develops young and determined leaders
Photo: LinkedIn
What I love about SCOUTS SA’s programmes is how they ultimately teach young people servant leadership through the community service lens. This is so important in advancing our country as a whole. Another positive aspect about leadership skills developed through SCOUTS SA is the view that one can be a leader without a title. Once we learn this important fact, we can all do better to contribute to our country.” Leadership within SCOUTS SA is learned by doing. “I am a big fan of learning by doing. In my work within the youth employment and empowerment space, a key aspect that employers find attractive in young people is hands-on experience. Often hands-on experience triumphs qualifications. Learning by doing is critical for active participation as when you ‘do’, you immerse yourself in an activity and gain knowledge and skills. The Scout method is a winning method.”
24 years ago, Scouting in South Africa opened its doors to girls. Since then, girls and boys have been acquiring life and leadership skills together as equals. “I’m excited to understand that 47% of SCOUTS SA’s members are adolescent girls and young women. This changes the narrative of Scouting as a predominantly male association, to an association that is gender inclusive. Scouting together for girls and boys is essential, especially in an unequal society like South Africa. It is no secret that South Africa has one of the highest levels of gender-based violence (GBV) in the world. And there are many factors contributing to GBV, especially social and cultural factors such as gender stereotypes and patriarchal views. Through Scouting together where girls and boys learn to respect one another and work together as equals, we address and even possibly rid societies of these gender stereotypes and patriarchal views as we demonstrate that girls are capable and intelligent leaders who should not be demeaned at all.”
In addition to promoting equality and inclusion, SCOUTS SA also strives to address the Sustainable Development Goals. “My biggest advice for members is to drive sustainable impact in our communities. Our country faces a youth unemployment crisis where unemployment for youth aged 15-34 years is 45,5%, and approximately 3,5 million out of 10,3 million (or 34,2%) young people aged 15-24 years are not in employment, education or training (NEET) as per the Quarterly Labour Force Survey, Q3:2024. This reality indicates the fact that we need sustainable solutions to youth empowerment and employment in our programmes to positively impact our communities. We also need all of us as citizens to be hands on and play our part.”
As a member of the Scout Board, Farai is tasked with ensuring transparent governance, strategic guidance and support with fundraising together with her fellow members of the Board. “I really look forward to contributing to SCOUTS South Africa in two main ways – fundraising and strategy. I have expertise in fundraising and strategy that I believe will greatly benefit the organization for impact that is scaled and sustainable. As somebody coming in from outside the Movement, what I really appreciate about Scouts is the holistic approach of the organization in empowering and equipping young people with tangible skills. SCOUTS SA teaches core values, critical skills and servant leadership. These tangible skills are needed now more than ever for our youth.”
Earlier this year Farai became a mom. We asked her how she manages to uphold her successful career, motherhood and her role as a volunteer on our Board. “Definitely God and a great support system! I believe that God has called me to serve and impact our world, and subsequently, he sustains me with the energy and time to achieve this purpose. Moreover, I am very blessed to have a wonderful husband who is incredibly supportive, great extended family in South Africa and Zimbabwe, and lovely friends. All of whom support me in my endeavours.”