Obituary for Dr. Albert Moukolo (03.06.1951 – 18.05.2022)

by Sabra_TXT | May 31, 2022 | news

The International Blue Cross mourns with the wife, Florence, the family and many, many friends and members of the worldwide Blue Cross family.
Albert Moukolo passed away on 18.05.2022 shortly before his 71st birthday completely unexpectedly and for all of us much too early.
Through his death, we lose a personality who shaped the International Blue Cross for decades.
Due to his own involvement as a relative of an addict, he very soon turned to the Congolese Blue Cross and became a member and leader of the Congo Blue Cross. He studied psychology and eventually also earned his doctorate on a topic related to the treatment of alcoholism, eventually living in Switzerland and holding various teaching positions in Lausanne and Geneva.
In addition to his own co-affliction and the professional expertise Albert had acquired, he possessed a heart and passion for people affected by addiction. This quality opened many doors for him to assist, counsel and accompany addicted people into a new life. And Albert made use of all these open doors. With strength and commitment, he stood up for deaf people with addiction, for example, and founded the first organization for deaf people with addiction in Switzerland. He learned sign language only to be able to help these people.
Growing up and living in different cultures, he was an excellent bridge builder between the worlds of the International Blue Cross. He served on the IBC Board of Directors from 1999 and was its President from 2012 to 2021. All those who accompanied him in the work of the board could learn a lot from Albert Moukolo. He was valued and loved by all members of the board. We lose a strong leader, a caring partner and a highly valued friend. We can only thank God from the bottom of our hearts for this exceptionally gifted personality, as well as his wife Florence and children for making it possible for Albert to be so involved with IBC!”
For all that, Albert was also a person who lived his relationship with his God and Creator and with Jesus Christ convincingly and consciously. This could be experienced in his encounters even without words. For many people Albert was an important example, also for me!
Therefore, the word of the Bible now also applies to Albert: The Lord says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine!” (Isaiah.43:1b)
And because we as Christians know that we may meet again in God’s home, we deliberately say at this point, “Goodbye Albert. See you again!”

Reinhard Jahn, President of the International Blue Cross

PDF Nachruf für Dr. Albert Moukolo (03.06.1951 – 18.05.2022)
PDF Nécrologie du Dr Albert Moukolo (03.06.1951 – 18.05.2022)

Updates from Tanzania

by Sabra_TXT | Jan 6, 2022 | news

Blue Cross Tanzania cooperated with the City Council in Arusha and conducted a two-day training for gender focal points from four different wards. In total 69 participants took part in the training to learn more about the following points:

1. Promote positive parenting skills among parents, caregivers and community members.
2. Promote norms and values that empower women and support non-violent, respectful, positive, nurturing and gender-equitable relationships
3. Enforce laws relating to rights of women and children.
4. Train ward VAWC protection committees on their roles and responsibilities

Even with the travel restrictions due to covid the IBC secretariat team collaborates closely with its members on line.

Merry Christmas!

by Sabra_TXT | Dec 17, 2021 | news

IBC wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We are really thankful for this last year. Thank you so much to all our donors, members and volunteers. We look back on a year full of break throughs, healings, learning a lot of new things, conduct new projects, growth from our Self Help groups and working with new volunteers. Thank you all for being part of IBC and changing the lives of many!

We wish you a time of rest and peace during this Christmas season. Enjoy this time with your families and friends. May you experience healing and renewed strength as we look into the future and start 2022.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

IBC

Reinhard Jahn is the new President of IBC!

by Sabra_TXT | Oct 8, 2021 | news

October 7, 2021– International Blue Cross (IBC) is happy to announce that Reinhard Jahn has been elected president at its General Assembly on 07 October, which -due to the pandemic- took place in an online format.
Reinhard Jahn, CEO of the Blue Cross Germany, has extensive professional experience in the field of addiction and due to his position in the Blue Cross Germany possesses vast leadership- and management skills. He has been an active member in the IBC Network Committee since 2008. His involvement in Blue Cross´ international work has allowed him to become familiar with structures and processes within the federation- and development work of International Blue Cross.

Ever since committed to the cause of Blue Cross, Reinhard Jahn wishes to further enhance the cooperation between the German Blue Cross and promote networking and mutual learning between all Blue Cross member organisations and the international Secretariat of IBC. In his inaugural speech the newly appointed president affirms: “IBC is an invitation for all of us to stay connected and share experiences, doubts and ask and answer questions together. It is also an invitation to addicts and families in the Blue Cross countries to seek help and realize that they are not alone in their battle against alcohol harm and addiction. I would like to serve IBC in a faith-based and holistic way and continue and even enhance the engagement of Blue Cross Germany with IBC. I am motivated to bring the international work of IBC forward, help finding and knitting relations and partnerships worldwide and enhance the profile of Blue Cross as a global movement with one voice.”

In addition to its new president, IBC is pleased to announce the election of Hans Eglin, Managing Director of regional Blue Cross Youth organisation from Switzerland as vice president of the Network Committee (board).

Other newly elected Network Committee members are: Ewa Duda, addiction therapist and promotion coordinator at Blue Cross Poland and Lars Thidemann Jensen, Vice Secretary-General in Blue Cross Denmark.

Other Network Committee members continuing their terms are Rolf Hartmann, President of Blue Cross Brazil; Ingalill Söderberg, journalist and board member at local and regional Swedish Blue Ribbon; Holger Lux, MD, Director Blue Cross Rehabilitation-Centres in Romania. Substitute members are Patrick Acheampong, General Secretary Blue Cross Ghana, Revocatus Nginila, Project Coordinator, Blue Cross Society of Tanzania.

KIDS Support Groups Brazil

by Sabra_TXT | Jul 2, 2021 | news

We all know that the children of today are the future of tomorrow. How we educate them, how we see and treat them and how we act around them, is going to shape the world of tomorrow. But not every child has the privilege to grow up in a healthy environment. In Southern Brazil alcohol abuse is a significant issue for a lot of parents. Children of alcoholics suffer from the consequences of being brought up upon alcohol. Facing social exclusion, developing mental illness or even becoming alcoholics themselves is a real threat to their future. The KIDS Support Groups in Brazil committed themselves to tackle this problem. KIDS Support Groups are a place where children, affected by their parents’ substance abuse are welcomed and get orientation as a strategy of prevention and assistance to people in circumstances of social vulnerability and hazard.

The pandemic has challenged the work of the KIDS Support Groups a lot, since it wasn’t possible anymore to regularly meet each other and organise events. Nevertheless the facilitators of the KIDS Support Groups came up with new and creative ways to still support the kids in the communities of Brazil. All 36 KIDS Support Groups found different ways to individually support children during this difficult time. Some groups managed to organise online meetings, others even had some face-to-face activities.

Besides connecting with the kids, it is really important to educate new facilitators and build new partnerships in order to start more KIDS Support Groups all over Brazil. We are really excited to announce new partnerships in the north east of Brazil, where now a new group has been started!

Another achievement of the last couple of months was the finalization of the first story of the comic, “the Azulinho series”. In 2020 they started the elaboration of comics for prevention. These comics are used during activities and get distributed to kids. Working with comics is a way to prevent kids from drug and alcohol use in a child-friendly way.

If you want to know more about the KIDS Support Groups, you can read our reports on GlobalGiving: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/kids-support-groups-in-brazil/