A Scout with the 9th Port Coquitlam Rovers is back home after a trip of a lifetime to an island nation off the coast of Africa.
Samantha Seney, a Riverside secondary graduate, travelled last month to the village of Ambato Boeni in Madagascar, where Scouts Canada has been developing a school and other infrastructure projects for the past decade.
Along with 21 other Scouts from around B.C., the Yukon, Alberta and Ontario, Seney helped to build an administrative centre at the school; she also was involved in installing solar-powered water pumps on the school wells and water tower.
"I absolutely loved it," Seney said of her three-week adventure. "It's something I'll never forget. The community helped us build and we developed close ties with them."
On the trip, the 20-year-old Capilano University student and the other Scouts stayed in the local church compound, sleeping on foam mattresses covered with mosquito nets. During their downtime, they had the chance to hike in the national park and get close with the wildlife such as chameleons and lizards.
"I learned a lot about the country and the people," Seney said. "It was really an eye-opening experience."
Still, it's not the first time Seney has done charitable work in Africa: In 2013, she travelled with the Girl Guides of Canada to Kenya for a Me to We service trip to build a healthcare centre.
Now, Seney has her eye on her next international voyage: She's planning more Scouting service and cultural work — this time, at a camp in Iceland. "For me, it's a great way to give back and be in the outdoors."
jwarren@tricitynews.com
