Associação dos Escuteiros de São Tomé e Príncipe joins WOSM

The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) welcomes Associação dos Escuteiros de São Tomé e Príncipe, the National Scout Organization (NSO) of the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. WOSM currently has a total of 165 NSOs in more than 220 countries and territories in the world.

Scouting in São Tomé and Príncipe

Scouting was introduced in São Tomé and Príncipe in 1970, following the initiative of a local priest Manuel Casinha. Unfortunately, this initial experiment did not continue since the people involved had to leave to study abroad. After the country's independence, there was no place for Scouting. It was not until March 1993 when Scouting was revived through the initiative of the Catholic Church (and Bishop Dom Abílio Ribas). In this initial phase, it benefited from the knowledge and action of a young French Scout (Cristophe Desmet) who was working in the island.

Associação dos Escuteiros de São Tomé e Príncipe (AESTP) has been legally registered since December 2011. Their initial constitution has been approved by the government and they are now in process of recognition of a new version, as approved by the WOSM Constitution Committee.