Adventurous Journey,
back-packing

When a leading corporate citizen in Nassau was a teenager he enrolled in the programme then known as the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. With friends, he trekked through woods and along the shores, built fires on the beach, learned navigation, performed community service.

That was nearly 30 years ago when the Award programme in The Bahamas was in its infancy. But even then the lessons it taught left an indelible impression.

“What I remember most is how it taught you to get along with people. You're tired and almost ready to give up, but someone right next to you is walking with his backpack and he's going to make it.. .and you know that you can too. It makes you realize that you are not a lone ranger. You are part of something bigger.”

Around the world, young men and women are discovering the same thing that young Bahamian did — the award programme designed to foster personal development through structured, non-competitive activities leading to a sought after medal develops responsibility to self and invokes a sense of community.