In the Lebanon Youth Service Weekend’s largest single project by number of participants, 130 scouts traveled from different parts of Beirut to the south Lebanon town of Nabatieh on November 16. There, they were welcomed by the Women’s Progress Association for Motherhood, Children and the Elderly. The Association’s building includes a nursery, a kindergarten, and a community center for the elderly. Under the Association’s vision, the grounds surrounding the building will be turned into a recreation area and park, but the area is in need of cleaning as the first step for realizing this dream.
Natascha Schellen, who traveled together with the scouts, described what she saw: “The scouts split up, each group working on one part of the field. Mostly they had to pick up trash and get rid of spiky, brambly-looking weeds. I admired the scouts for their organization, all working together and keeping people under control. They even had a first aid kit to take care of scratches and other small injuries (there were a few). It was the first time most of them had done this kind of work.”
The municipality of Nabatieh provided tools, support by workers for some heavy lifting, and a truck to remove all debris the scouts had collected. Plans for the area that was cleared include setting up an exercise path for the elderly, not to forget planting trees which will create an urban oasis that fits with a slogan of adding one tree per citizen, adopted by the municipality as the mayor told the delegation of UPF Ambassadors for Peace.
After they finished the work, Natascha reported: “Then the scouts lined up (after being called by a really cool horn) and the mayor, Mustafa Baderiddine, came to address them. He told the scouts how happy he was to welcome them here and how proud he was of their work. He really wants to develop the area of Nabatieh and improve the city’s image, which was suffering because of the war in 2006. Each year has a certain theme, a focus; and this year it’s the environment.” Lunch followed, and then a visit to a nearby Crusader castle with a beautiful view, before the bus ride home.