Give Childhood a Chance and Keep Youth Drug Free!

 The Life Skills Program of International Blue Cross aims to enable kids and teenagers to deal effectively with challenges and demands of their everyday lives. In Togo, Chad, Congo and Tanzania children and teenagers take part in Life Skills Sessions at school, where they build the ability to take informed decisions and expand their cognitive, personal and inter-personal skills. In order to get the best out of the Skills Training, our program not only reaches out to children and teenagers, but to their parents as well. Several behavioural and population studies show that young people state that they would rather get the initial life skills guidance from their parents. However, research also shows that most young people get it from their peers instead. Acting on these results, International Blue Cross produced a new Life Skills Handbook addressing parents. During the Life Skills sessions for parents, they learn how to develop their ability to get better at helping their children. Learning more about parenting style and communication regarding topics such as alcohol, gender-based violence, drugs and tobacco, they get the tools to support their children at becoming healthy and informed young adults.

In the following you can read the story of Atchon from Togo, a parent who got involved in the Life Skills Sessions. Atchon’s story shows that it needs children as well as their parents to take on responsibility in order to get sustainable change within a society,

“My name is Atchon and I am the guardian of the 13 year old child Demagnon. My child is a member of a football team and has been attending Blue Cross sessions for a few months. He often talked to me about Blue Cross, but I just listened with one ear without being too interested in it because I thought he was talking about it to justify going out with his friends. One day when we wanted to eat, I called him and asked him to go buy me some sodabi (the local alcohol) which I used to take as an appetizer before eating. To my surprise, my child categorically refused and told me, “Tanti, We don't need to drink sodabi as an appetizer before we eat. At the Blue Cross we were shown pictures of people who got sick from alcohol, it's terrible. Alcohol is not good; If you want to continue, do it without me; But the day you get sick, don't call me.” Listening to him speak these words to me, I was shocked at first, but realized the truth of what he was saying and let go of the idea of an aperitif. Some time later, he informed me of a parents' meeting at the Blue Cross headquarters which I attended out of curiosity. At the meeting we were told about the harmful effects of alcohol and drugs on health and the issues of violence as a consequence of drug abuse. I understood more and made firm decisions. Today I no longer consume sodabi before eating, I am moved by the good influence of Blue Cross on my child and on me. I say a big thank you to Blue Cross.”

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We are really happy to announce the newly started Life Skills Programme in Tansania!

The Life Skills Programme strives to promote personal and social development and prevents health- and social problems. Life Skills sessions include practicing and deepening cognitive and social skills about topics such as addiction, HIV, discrimination, violence and gender equality. Unfortunately, Alcohol consumption in Tanzania with 9.4 litres alcohol per capita is alarmingly high (African Average is 6.3 litres). Because of its wide consequences, alcohol consumption affects nearly everyone. Alcohol related car accidents, gender-based violence towards girls and women, poverty and bad mental and physical well-being of those around alcoholics are some of them.In order to tackle this issue, the International Blue Cross Tanzania started its Life Skills Programme in Arusha this August. Between August and September, they held 12 Life Skills sessions in three different secondary schools. So far, 350 children took part in the Life Skills Programmes. But the effects of these sessions will not just stay within this community – it will go beyond these kids since they have already started to tell their siblings, parents and friends what they have learned.

Through the comprehensive approach of this programme we contribute to working towards the UN development goals, specifically to reaching the goals in the thematic areas of 3) Good Health and Well-Being, 4) Quality Education, 5) Gender Equality and 16) Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

We want to express our thankfulness to our generous donors who take part in breaking the cycle of alcohol-related issues in Tanzania. Thank you so much!