Self Help Recovery Groups

Project Report | Jan 15, 2025
Progress and Hope: Blue Cross Botswana Self-Help

By Anne Babb | General Secretary

Self Help Group

Dear reader, this time I share latest updates from Botswana Self Help Groups.

Locations of Impact:
During the last quarter of 2024, Blue Cross Botswana’s Self-Help Groups actively worked in Gaborone, at Mebala Youth Studios/National Youth Centre, and Mochudi, creating safe spaces for individuals recovering from substance dependence to connect, grow, and find strength in community.

Strengthening Bonds, Building Communities:
In this period, the Self-Help Group in Gaborone remained a beacon of support, fostering personal and collective growth. Meetings were held twice each month, focusing on tracking group progress, welcoming new members, addressing challenges, and inviting more individuals to benefit from the program. These gatherings were pivotal in nurturing the sense of belonging and shared purpose essential for recovery and resilience.

Key Successes Achieved:

Deepening Connections: Proactive follow-ups through phone calls and personal visits ensured members felt valued and supported, laying the groundwork for sustained engagement.
Encouraging Growth: Two new members expressed interest in joining the Self-Help Group, signaling growing recognition of the group’s value in recovery journeys.
Forging Alliances: Partnerships with significant stakeholders were established, including the Gaborone West Customary Court, Gaborone District Health Medical Team, Social and Community Development Office, Botswana Association of Psychological Rehabilitation, and Botswana Council of Churches. These alliances enhance mutual support and expand the reach of aftercare services.
Advocacy Through Action: Blue Cross Botswana actively participated in the Men Consultative Dialogue Workshop in commemoration of the 2024 International Gender Days. This collaboration highlighted the intersection of gender and substance dependence, fostering broader awareness and advocacy.

Challenges and Lessons Learned:

Collaboration Challenges: Despite shared goals, local organizations often perceive partnerships as competition, preferring to work in isolation. This limits the collective impact of efforts aimed at prevention and aftercare.
Engagement Barriers: Referrals from Puseletso Recovery Home have been hesitant to participate in group meetings, underscoring the need for stronger motivational strategies and trust-building measures.
Membership Dynamics: A few members have resigned, emphasizing the importance of continuously adapting approaches to retain engagement.

Looking Ahead with Determination:
Starting in January 2025, Blue Cross Botswana will convene stakeholder meetings with development organizations to strengthen partnerships and expand recovery support systems. These engagements aim to create a more collaborative ecosystem and promote the Self-Help Groups as an integral part of Botswana’s addiction recovery framework.

Your Role in Transforming Lives

Recovery is not a solo journey—it is built on shared strength, understanding, and support. With your help, we can expand the reach and impact of Blue Cross Botswana’s Self-Help Groups. Your support will directly contribute to nurturing hope, rebuilding lives, and empowering communities across Botswana.

Join us in creating a future where recovery is possible for everyone

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Sep 23, 2024
Ghana - Sensitising Community to Support Recovery

By Anne Babb and Rev. Patrick Adjei Acheampong | General Secretary and Ghana Project Leader

Self Help Meeting

In partnership with the International Blue Cross (IBC), Blue Cross Ghana Relief (BCG) embarked on a life-changing journey through the Self Help Project, initiated in 2020. During 2024 with a mission to address the pressing need for community-based support for addiction recovery, BCG set out to build a supportive environment for individuals in the Gbawe and Nima communities, empowering them with tools to reclaim their lives after addiction.

Progress and Achievements

Building Capacity for Self Help Groups
At the core of our efforts, we sought to enhance the skills of our facilitators. Through regular participation in IBC’s online training, our team grew in their ability to effectively guide self-help groups. Additionally, a refresher course in March 2024 equipped nine facilitators, four of whom are from the Nima Mothers’ Club, to lead with renewed enthusiasm and expertise.
Sharing Best Practices Across the IBC Network
Blue Cross Ghana engaged with the broader IBC network by joining a WhatsApp group designed for knowledge sharing. Though only a few facilitators participated actively, we continue to encourage broader involvement, recognizing the value of shared learning to refine our approach to the Self Help Project.
Outreach and Community Awareness
In our mission to dismantle the stigma surrounding addiction, we printed and distributed 200 tracts and posted 30 posters across Gbawe and Nima. This outreach is creating awareness and encouraging more individuals to join the Self Help Groups. We eagerly anticipate a large-scale sensitization float in Nima, where the community will witness the power of solidarity in overcoming addiction.
Hosting Regular Self Help Sessions
Regular self-help meetings have proven to be a lifeline for those struggling with addiction. These gatherings provide a safe, supportive space for individuals to share their experiences, challenges, and triumphs on the road to recovery. The power of community and peer support cannot be understated in the recovery process. Each session brings participants together, reinforcing the belief that they are not alone in their journey and that sustained, collective effort can lead to lasting transformation. The Gbawe group has consistently met, fostering a deep sense of connection and resilience among participants. Although the Nima group has yet to start, the eagerness of the community to engage is palpable.
Transformative Impact on Participants
Perhaps the most heartwarming aspect of this journey is witnessing individuals reclaim their dignity and health. Service users exemplify the life-changing power of the Self Help Project. Their stories of transformation serve as beacons of hope, motivating others to join and experience the same healing.

We are filled with optimism and determination. The upcoming launch of the Nima group, along with the planned community sensitization float, will broaden our reach and deepen our impact. We humbly request your support to complete these crucial activities. Together, we can continue to create healthier, more vibrant communities where every individual can thrive. Thank you for your support!

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May 13, 2024
Joint efforts for rooted Self-Help groups

By Anna Schwaller | Project Assistant

The power of self-help groups

Peer support groups are organized to provide every member with a chance, though not a requirement, to share their problems and experiences. Mutual respect, appreciation, and confidentiality serve as the cornerstones of these group discussions. The goal for each participant is to recognize their dependence and to recover from addiction step by step.

In the past year, our self-help and mutual support initiatives across seven countries (Botswana, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Madagascar and Congo Brazzaville) have seen significant progress. The concept is one of the only opportunities to receive support for addiction recovery in the participating countries. We currently have 27 dedicated self-help group facilitators working to guide and support participants. To ensure the effectiveness of our facilitators, we have organized 10 IBC-facilitated online trainings during 2023. The topics have ranged from working with intoxicated people, relapse prevention to principles for self-help group facilitation.

Our self-help group model has successfully taken root in seven countries, with 13 different groups meeting regularly. This collaborative effort has resulted in 314 self-help group meetings held throughout the year with a total of 1133 visits. Within these groups, we have engaged with 75 participants each working on their unique recovery journey.

In addition Nepal, Chad and Kenya have regularly attended IBC training on self help and they run self help groups too with their local teams.

A participant from Uganda shares his story: “At the beginning, I didn‘t want to participate in the self-help groups. Superficially, I hated treatment and rehabilitation because I was forced to give up alcohol and other drugs, but deep down because it felt humiliating. However, this mutual self-help group is completey different. I am not put under pressure. When I talk about my condition, I’m sharing with people that can understand me and I no longer feel alone. I truly feel that my participation in the group makes a difference. I know that since I joined the self-help group I have made progress on my recovery. I can feel how my life is returning to normality and I can start thinking about returning to my occupation as a vegetable farmer.”

Finding back to normal

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