West Sussex Scouts

The ‘Global Challenge’ badge requires the scouts to investigate an international issue, show an understanding of the issues involved, take some action as a result of the research and compare how the issues affect the UK and countries overseas.

Our troop decided to study the issue of ‘child soldiers’.

 

We looked at how the lives of children in Africa are blighted by war and how they are exposed to appalling treatment and are often forced to commit atrocities. We could empathise with them as they were the same age as our Scouts and yet, due only to the country in which they were born, their lives were so brutal and short.

We learnt that, even when the war had passed on, many of these children had continuing problems with drug abuse and were forced to make a living in any way they can; their only chance of a better life was through education.

As a troop, we decided that we wanted to do something to help our ‘brothers’ who were suffering so terribly. We decided to do a sponsored challenge hike where we would walk 10 miles and test our knowledge of issues surrounding ‘child soldiers’ at a number of challenge bases along the route.

 

We are proud to have raised a total of £804.80 for ‘War Child’ and, if our money helps to improve the life of just one child, then our efforts were worthwhile.

 

James ‘Jimbo’ Long
SL 3rd Horsham Scouts
(On behalf of all the young people of the 3rd Horsham Scout Troop)