Emavulandlela Swaziland Scouts Association (ESSA) is a non-governmental and non-political youth movement. It is the leading youth organization in the country with a membership of more than eight thousands (8000) young people, supported by adults, increasing each and every year.
The organization’s mission is to contribute to the development of young people, physically, spiritually, mentally and intellectually, through an interesting program which promote individual development and working in small groups in order to support one another called a PATROL SYSTEM. Through scouting skills, the young person’s character is developed such that he/she can be a disciplined responsible citizen of the society and make constructive decisions. ESSA is an affiliate to the World Scouts Organization Movement as well as locally an active affiliate of the Swaziland National Youth Council (SNYC) and is a subscribing member of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-governmental Organizations (CANGO).
The organization started operating in Swaziland in 1928, and it was official registered with the government and the World Scout Organization in November 1968. The Emavulandlela Swaziland Scouts Association is run by a National Headquarters Commissioners, which reports to the Africa Regional Scouts Office in Kenya and the World Scout Office in Kuala lamp, Malaysia. ESSA receives subvention of about E1 000 000.00 from the government of Swaziland, through the ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs. The organization has been receiving financial support from the Ministries of Education, Home Affairs and other NGO’s including UN agencies in particular UNICEF. Implementing resolutions from Africa Regional Scouts Conference and World Scout Conferences, Emavulandlela Swaziland Scouts Association had played a major role in the fight against HIV/AIDS through youth involvement in decision making. This had helped the organization to establish National and Regional Scouts HIV/AIDS teams which had raised awareness within its membership. The association is very active many youth activities that attract the youth and have an appeal to the youth through using the badge system to award young people.
