Life Skills and Peer Education for Chadian Youth

In October of last year, our awesome Project Coordinator from Chad left the dusty streets of N’Djamena behind for his first journey to the European Union to present at the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Conference in Edinburgh. Upon surviving London's transportation system and some minor challenges of our digital European world, he found his way to more than 20 participants from Blue Cross member organizations around the world who came together as he took the stage. He was there to present Blue Cross Chad's momentum in creating a new alcohol policy in his country. 

Why is a national alcohol policy so important to our Life Skills project in Chad? General Secretary of the International Blue Cross tells us "We must lobby for new policies to protect citizens, especially youth, from access and exposure to alcohol and drugs in their local communities. IFBC work in policy advocacy is the backbone of its successful interventions. For bottom-up community action to create policy, we aim to mobilise the local Blue Cross together with the project”

In test studies carried out by Blue Cross Chad, children were able to purchase alcohol 100% of the time in local shops. Prevention projects like this life skills intervention in Chad go a long way at empowering youth to make informed, good decisions to lead a healthy productive life. However, it is  also essential that we advocate to creat policies to protect their choices; policies that limit their exposure to drugs and alcohol outside the doors of the schools and in their communities. 

We are so proud of the work that Blue Cross Chad has done and as one of the students tells us: “What we want we can get there and you have to follow her dreams to achieve it.” Salma, Lycée Ibrahim Mahamat Itno High School

Thanks for your continued support and we look forward to sending you more updates throughout the year!