International Blue Cross

22/05/2026

As part of celebrating the 140th anniversary of International Blue Cross, we are proud to highlight the inspiring work of Blaues Kreuz Deutschland 🇩🇪

Under the slogan “Wege aus der Sucht” (Paths out of Addiction ), Blue Cross Germany supports people affected by addiction through a wide range of services including counselling, self help groups, prevention programmes, rehabilitation and family support. Their work is based on the belief that nobody should face addiction alone and that every person deserves hope, dignity and a new chance in life.

One especially inspiring initiative is “Aktiv gegen Sucht” (Active Against Addiction), a project that combines sport and addiction self help. Through activities such as running groups, cycling, archery and fitness meetups, participants can experience recovery in a safe, alcohol free and supportive environment. The initiative helps people build confidence, connection and healthy routines while reaching those who may not feel comfortable in traditional support group settings.

Blue Cross Germany is also developing innovative digital self help initiatives, including online support groups for people affected by alcohol, drugs, gambling and media addiction, making support more accessible for people across the country
Another meaningful part of their work is the magazine BLAU — a publication dedicated to addiction, health and life questions. Through personal stories, reflections and reports from across Germany, the magazine offers encouragement, raises awareness and helps reduce stigma around addiction and recovery.

Blue Cross Germany is truly doing remarkable and inspiring work. We are proud to have Blue Cross Germany as part of the International Blue Cross family and deeply appreciate their commitment to bringing hope, support and new opportunities to so many people.It is a powerful example of how compassion, community and innovation can create real pathways toward recovery and hope🙏💙

20/05/2026

IBC Programme Manager Flavia Ganarin and Finance Officer Katrin Schmidt recently returned from a project visit to Arusha, Tanzania, where IBC implements a substance use prevention project in collaboration with Blue Cross Tanzania.
In Arusha, we witnessed what prevention can look like in practice and were inspired by the strong impact of Blue Cross Tanzania’s work through life skills education, peer education, community mobilization and advocacy. We met young people building life skills to make healthier choices for their futures, peer educators becoming role models, women strengthening their livelihoods, and communities working together for safer and healthier environments.
During the visit, we went to schools, encountered young people and women benefiting from the project, exchanged with community and religious leaders, and worked with the board on good governance. Schools involved in the project report less substance use and violence, and we are now exploring scalability options to broaden the project’s impact beyond the current target areas.
A heartfelt thank you to Blue Cross Society Tanzania and all partners for this meaningful work!
💙🙌

08/05/2026

International Blue Cross board members are all from different countries. This Network Committee meets mainly on line and once a year it is such a delight to work together in person. This time we visited Blue Cross Vienna and BC Austria and saw a glimpse of beautiful Vienna.

Warm greetings to Patrick in Ghana and Grace from Botswana who had to join on line!

07/05/2026

NewSchoolpower5 Festival

A conference on the impact of psychoactive substance use on the economy and culture was held on May 6 at Koulamallah. The session was led by Bedingar Ngarossorang, coordinator of the Chadian Blue Cross project.

Keep it up La CROIX BLEUE Tchadienne 👏

04/05/2026

As part of the 140th anniversary of the International Blue Cross, this May we are proud to present Blaues Kreuz Deutschland and its inspiring work, which you will learn more about in our upcoming posts over the next weeks🙌 Stay tuned!

27/04/2026

🇨🇿 This month, we are highlighting the work of Modrý kříž v České republice - Blue Cross Czech Republic !

Through their project “Try it with us”, implemented in cooperation with the Statutory City of Frýdek-Místek, they support young people who are at risk of substance use and other risky behaviors, as well as their parents and families. The project includes motivational and educational programs and family counseling.
Their professional social counseling services support adults who are dealing with challenges related to alcohol, other substances, or gambling. They also work with family members and loved ones, offering guidance and help in handling everyday, legal, and personal situations.

In addition, their aftercare services help people who have gone through addiction treatment to stay on track, avoid relapse, and build a stable and healthy life.
A unique part of their work is pastoral care, where they offer spiritual support through one-on-one or group conversations, helping people find meaning, strength, and hope.

To learn more about their work and read inspiring stories from Blue Cross Czech Republic, feel free to visit their website via the link below.
https://modrykriz.org/zkus-to-s-nami/
👏 We are grateful for the important and caring work our Czech colleagues are doing to support individuals, families, and communities.

Last year Blue Cross Czech Republic marked 20 years of its work in the country. Photos: 20th anniversary celebration.

20/04/2026

How does IBC strengthen the resilience of communities?

In this short interview for INTERACTION (Schweiz) , Anne Babb talks about IBC’s work in alcohol and drug prevention and shares how the organisation helps strengthen the resilience of vulnerable communities around the world 🌍

IBC works on three levels through its so-called “prevention triangle” to protect people from the complex harms caused by alcohol and other drugs:
- advocating and lobbying for stronger public policies
- raising awareness within communities
- teaching life skills in schools to build resilience

In the interview, Anne gives concrete examples of how IBC’s support has brought positive change to communities. For example, vulnerable women were supported through vocational training and start-up funds to build their own small businesses. This not only improved the lives of the women themselves, but also had a positive impact on their wider neighbourhoods. In Chad, community action within an IBC programme also contributed to a ban on high-alcohol sachets.

Anne Babb also highlights some of the key challenges in this work, including the strong influence of the alcohol industry on policy, the lack of political will for effective regulation, and the limited public funding available to NGOs in many African countries where IBC is active. These structural barriers make deep and lasting social change more difficult to achieve.

Watch the full interview here: ⬇️
https://youtu.be/zCJHe4fh0vAsi=_fM4QBFv9VIkWC_I

https://interaction-schweiz.ch/video-interview-wie-staerkt-ibc-die-widerstandsfaehigkeit-von-gemeinschaften/

International Blue Cross

17/04/2026

Thank you Blue Cross Brazil for the great programme during this week. I truly enjoyed working with you and your partners. Once more Congratulations for the 30 Years of Blue Cross Brazil and blessings for the future!

15/04/2026

Last week, we met again for another Youth Connect session. This time, our meeting took the form of a discussion where we shared our experiences of working with young people.
We talked about what really works well and where difficulties most often arise.We also discussed what currently has the strongest influence on young people’s behaviour in our countries, such as social media, family, peer pressure, and other factors. It was especially nice to hear participants sharing stories of positive changes in their communities over the last few years.

This was a very honest and valuable discussion 💙

14/04/2026

Great day in Blumenau with Blue Cross Brazil. It was a pleasure for me to spend time with the team and hear presentations from all departments.
What stood out was the strong growth of the work and the excellent innovations being developed — from dependency prevention in workplaces to youth prevention in schools. The team was also inspired by the IBC afterschool club model and its peer educator approach, which opened up rich discussion on how young people can be empowered to support one another.
We also exchanged ideas on the media impact on gambling and shared examples from Finnish Blue Ribbon’s Peluuri services. We also discussed opportunities with data: how to show results, demonstrate impact, and communicate the cost-benefit of Blue Cross work more clearly.

We wrapped up the day with the board meeting of BC Brazil and visitors from BC Paraguay.

Thank you, BC Brazil, for your warm welcome, openness, and commitment. It is encouraging to see such energy, innovation, and dedication in action.