Tsunami

The Scout Association have launched an appeal to help Scouts in the Asia Pacific region who are busy cleaning up and rebuilding their communities. I recived a flyer about it in my copy of Scouting Magazine yesterday.

Focusing our efforts
Contributing to The Scout Association - Tsunami Appeal is the most effective way of showing your support. The World Movement discourages Scouts from travelling to affected countries to offer their help, unless as part of a recognised aid agency.

The stress is interesting given I knew of people who went to Thailand who were keen on linking up with Scouting efforts to clean up communities out there and got short shrift by HQ. They tried to get the Scout Association to put them in touch with aid agencies, as many churches and other voluntary organisations are doing. Aparently the people at HQ couldn't be bothered as they "didn't have time". While I can see their point aboput endorsing a group of people who would go out independantly and possibly get in the way, I am dissapointed that a voluntary organisation can't help it's members use their skills.

Which is interesting as the only thing about sending people into the affected region on the WOSM website is a recent message from Australian Scouting about Rovers raising money, and them looking into options for sending Rovers to help with clean up and rehabilitation. Hmm.