The active involvement of the young and teenagers in volunteer work and community service indirectly serves to strengthen them with good values, so that they will always be ready to come forward to contribute ideas, energy and time voluntarily without expecting any rewards or prizes. Furthermore, community service projects that are carried out at the national level can be broadened to become global-oriented community projects.

Her Royal Highness Princess Hjh Rashidah Sa'adatul Bolkiah stated this in a sabda during the 2nd Community Day celebrated by the Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam yesterday, at the association's headquarters in Kampong Anggerek Desa.

"The Girl Guides Association of Brunei Darussalam is packed with many volunteer and community service activities," Her Royal Highness said.

"By doing so, the association has, at the same time, fulfilled the requirements laid out by the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), in celebrating the 100 years of its establishment."

HRH also urged the association's commissioners, leaders from all Packs and Teams, as well as Patrol and Group Units to actively involve their members in any community service projects. This is to encourage and support them so that they will be more independent and self-reliant, HRH added.

HRH added that given the capacity and membership size of the association, this mission is not impossible and can be implemented.

Considering that the latest community services project presents a golden opportunity for the members to apply all they had learnt in the association, HRH expressed hope that the project would help the association achieve its mission in cultivating and laying out opportunities for girls and young women to develop within themselves and become more responsible citizens of Brunei Darussalam.

The HRH Princess Hajah Rashidah Community Service Awards was introduced to honour the young girls and women for the services they have voluntarily rendered based on their educational programme.

The main aim of the award is to encourage members of the Brunei Darussalam Girl Guides Association to be actively involved in community service. - Borneo Bulletin (27th July 2011)