BCST addresses issues of alcohol, tobacco and drug amongst the children, young people and adults in Tanzania through life skills programme. Blue Cross Society of Tanzania implements the project in collaboration with local government authorities in Arusha on alcohol and psychoactive substances prevention. Blue Cross Society of Tanzania (BCST) delivers prevention programme through life skills education in the problem of alcohol, tobacco and drugs abuse among children, youth and adults in Arusha, Tanzania. The programme involve children, youth in secondary schools, colleges, out of schools children, youth, adults, teachers, religious leaders, local government leaders and NGOs.
BCST uses the International Blue Cross comprehensive approach for prevention, which is based on principle that information is not enough. BCST uses three components of prevention triangle:
a) Educational measures aimed at individual behavior change. Behavioral prevention through Life Skills-education prevents drug and alcohol harm by equipping young people with information, personal skills and capabilities to lead a healthy life. The adolescents are enabled to develop and test such skills in a safe environment in order to achieve a lasting effect. Additionally, parents, teachers and community leaders take part in educational activities and are sensitized on health and alcohol, tobacco and drug prevention topics.
b) Improvement of control policies. Structural prevention from harm through alcohol and drugs requires evidence-based alcohol, tobacco and drug policies. BCST closely work together with decision makers on law enforcement on alcohol and drugs to protect public health and sustain the positive changes achieved by Life Skills education and community mobilization.
c) Mobilization of local communities through community mobilization, the local civil society is sensitized to alcohol, tobacco and drug harm. In order to realize their human rights and to lead a life in health and dignity, local communities are enabled to actively advocate for more protective alcohol policies.
Programs performed are;
Life skills
In and out-of-school Children and Youth adopt safer behaviour through life skills sessions in schools, colleges and youth centres. The Life Skills sessions in schools, colleges and centres empower children, youths and adults emotionally, socially and economically by capacitating them to solve problems and deal with challenges in their lives. The life skills training approach reached out children, youth and adults in Arusha, Tanzania. The training empower children at secondary schools, youth at colleges and adults to develop problem solving skills, decision making skills, effective communication skills, creative thinking skills, critical thinking skills, empathy skills, interpersonal skills, coping with stress, self-awareness skills and coping with emotion. These life skills empower them to become vessels for change in the community and deal with difficulties in their lives by saying NO TO ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND DRUG in their lives.
Prevention of sexual gender based violence
Gender-based violence (GBV) reduced through prevention activities. Gender-based violence (GBV is a grave human rights violation that can cause long-term and life-threatening injury and trauma to victims/survivors. All human rights and humanitarian actors must ensure that efforts are made from the onset of an emergency to prevent and respond to acts of gender-based violence and provide adequate care, treatment and support to its victims/survivors. Genderbased violence is deeply rooted in discriminatory cultural beliefs and attitudes that perpetuate inequality and powerlessness, in particular of women and girls. Various other factors, such as poverty, lack of education and livelihood opportunities, and impunity for crime and alcohol and drug abuse in the communities, also tend to contribute to and reinforce a culture of violence and discrimination based on gender. Blue Cross Society of Tanzania promotes and/or provides education on sexual gender based violence and other affected individuals to safe education, and life skills training, that can strengthen self-awareness and confidence. Moreover BCST promotes a safe learning environment both within and around schools and other educational facilities by awareness raising among children, parents, teachers and other educational staff, and relevant local authorities in Arusha Tanzania.
Community action
Empowered citizens (faith and community members) voice their concerns and act collectively to prevent harmful substance use. The local community members are sensitized to alcohol, tobacco and drug harm. In order to realize their human rights and to lead a life in health and dignity, local communities are enabled to actively advocate for more protective alcohol policies. BCST closely work together with decision makers, executives, and religious leaders on law enforcement on alcohol and drugs to protect public health and sustain the positive changes achieved by Life Skills education and community mobilization in Arusha, Tanzania.