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31-May-2002
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Gordon's School Crest

Gordon's School and Surrey Scouts launch Project Sabir

 Surrey Scouts logo

Project Sabir - Extending hands of friendshipWhen Dan and Jez discovered they had been selected to attend the Jamboree they wrote to their Headmaster at Gordon's School, Lightwater with the good news. Through the launch of a unique Gordon's School and Surrey Scouts project, they will now be joined at the Jamboree by a Sudanese Scout who never dreamed he would be able to attend.

Gordon's School was founded in 1885 at the express wish of Queen Victoria, as the National Memorial to General Gordon, who was killed at Khartoum (Sudan) in January 1885. The school is supported by the "Gordon Foundation", an independent charitable trust established shortly afterwards in 1888. The flag of Sudan

Thrilled with the opportunities that lay ahead of Dan and Jez, the Gordon Foundation very generously made a donation to both. However, bearing in mind the aim of a World Jamboree is to achieve the widest participation, Gordon's Schools links with the Sudan and that General Gordon "gave his heart to the young, the poor and the outcast", the Gordon Foundation felt it could still do more.

The Boy Scout Association of Sudan logo

 With the support of Surrey Scouts they approached the Chief Commissioner of the Boy Scout Association of Sudan (Dr Atif Abdelmageed Abdelrahman), offering to pay for an extra Sudanese Scout to attend the Jamboree.

As a result a 15 year old Scout, named Sabir, has been chosen to attend. So was launched "Project Sabir". Sabir was a refugee from the drought and desertification of the Western Sudan and now lives with his family in a poor part of Khartoum (attending a World Jamboree would be financially impossible for him). His Scout Troop is supported by the AHM Leprosy Relief Organisation of Munich and he speaks very little English.

Dan and Jez now have the challenge of bringing the whole project to life by making and developing contact with Sabir, meeting up with both him and the other Sudanese Scouts at the Jamboree and then returning to let us all know how they got on. They both thank Gordon's School and the Gordon Foundation for this fabulous opportunity. The biggest challenge, though, probably lies with Sabir, for whom this is truly a life changing experience.

To find out more about General Gordon click here.

For more information on Sudan and Scouting in The Sudan, follow the links below: