School Aid was founded in Australia by Sean Gordon. A school principal at the time, he often reflected on four specific issues, thoughts and experiences that eventually led to the formation of this organisation:
A genuine wish to do something for people in need around the globe, especially after tragedies such as Kosovo, Turkey, East Timor, September 11
His educational anxiety as a parent and a teacher about the effect of the major tragedies on the minds of our children
His national network of principal colleagues (where the power of 11,000 working together is more obvious)
The Thredbo landslide disaster in 1997. He was SES team leader on site when Stuart Diver was discovered and this gave him a particular perspective on disasters and the effect these have on those involved, and on those who watch.
School Aid was officially launched in Australia in April 2003 by the then Queensland Education Minister, Ms Anna Bligh.
Since then, Aussie kids have proved themselves more than capable of achieving extraordinary results. Through School Aid, Australian students have already:
Raised $170,000 to support the victims in the aftermath of Cyclone Larry
Raised $260,000 and built a school in Banda Aceh, following the Indian Ocean tsunami
Raised $250,000 and re-opened a vocational school and youth centre in Dili, East Timor
Raised $463,000 and built the Friendship Park' in Beslan, following terrorist attacks in 2004, as well as thousands of letters of support sent from Australian students
