Give Childhood a Chance and Keep Youth Drug Free!

Giving Children a chance to choose drug and alcohol free childhood is not that easy. Child is completely powerless on the influence of big alcohol adverts. When they grow to teenage and they look for idols to relate to it is sad that their heroes are so often billboards for alcohol brands. It is proven that due to marketing, our children start using alcohol earlier, consumer more and die younger. The facts are clear. This is why together with a group of organisations International Blue Cross is promoting the #OutbidChang Campaign. We have noticed that most people feel the same – sports and alcohol should not be so strongly connected. However it is not easy to proclaim this publicly. Alcohol industry has managed to sell us the thought that individual must have a choice and we must not critic this. Now, I want to highlight that alcohol is not an ordinary product, it causes for example dependence, health harm and anti social behaviour.  And it is up to us to do something about it!

Alcohol is a children’s health issue, it is a public health issue and we can speak up and criticise the powerful marketing and pressurised sales techniques. In recently visited Denmark and heard the concern of Blue Cross professionals that alcohol is not in a public health agenda. I see by visiting them that the political climate is controlled by their big money maker - alcohol industry and I can empathise how difficult it is to create stronger policy to protect children when for sure increasing the age limit from sixteen to eighteen would reduce consumption and limiting alcohol availability would also reduce sales and consumption.  Denmark has serious problems with binge drinking youth, but it is the adults with decision making power who must make  the policy changes if they want to see youth to reduce their drinking.

#OutbidChang is our campaign to send a powerful message around the world that enough is enough, that Big Alcohol needs to be stopped from targeting children and youth through sports, and that our children deserve better protection. Let’s make it possible for our youth to have heroes to follow without alcohol ads!

• OutbidChang_leaflet_print.pdf (PDF)
  

In Brazzaville a movement is growing – the youngsters are calling it GENERATION 5s. They have a dream to build a community “sans” (without) the biggest risk factors for premature death and disease: drugs, alcohol, violence, HIV/AIDS and discrimination.

The Blue Cross project partner in Brazzaville, ASUdh, uses Life skills lessons and after-school youth clubs as non-traditional education methods for teaching the skills and knowledge young people need to lead a healthy, active life.

Peer educators are the ones who teach the lessons to the students in schools. Peer education is based on role modelling and the ability of young people to become leaders and agents of change through empowerment and support. The Peer Educators engage students in a holistic approach to learn skills like communication, self-confidence, teamwork and discipline through sports, social activities and community engagement. The skills and knowledge, in turn, promote positive behaviour change and ultimately reduce alcohol and drug use – giving children and youth a chance at a healthy childhood.

One of the peer educators, T. SANKARA, told us: "The project has a remarkable impact since its beginning. The school was a place where violence was so common. We recorded many cases of fights and many problems here in the high school. With the arrival of the project, there has been the evolution of the mind of students who come from the school. Now there are changes, the school is in peace and especially quiet.”

By collaborating with the school administration and the local Ministry of Youth and Civic Education, ASUdh is reaching 2879 students with its life skills lessons with the hope to reach additional students and expand its Generation 5s movement to reach all the youth of Brazzaville.

A participating student, D. Sunil, told us: “Through this project, many students realized that the abuse of alcohol and drugs is harmful for us young people who have dreams to realize, and also for our parents. GENERATION 5s deserves the attention of the Congolese, and especially youth. I think in a few years we will have a GENERATION S 5 through the project!”

Help us spread the word and help us create this new GENERATION 5s around the world by donating to Give Childhood a Chance today!

Sans drogue
Sans alcool
Sans violence
Sans VIH/SIDA
Sans discrimination

Thanks for your support!