Beau Vallon primary school hosts launch of Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Week |15 June 2023

The annual Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Week, spearheaded by the Campaign for Awareness, Resilience and Education (Care), was launched yesterday afternoon at the Beau Vallon primary school, under the theme ‘Kindness for Resilience in Prevention’.

The highlight of the half-hour ceremony was the pupils’ pledge not to use drugs and alcohol or engage in other anti-social behaviour, as well as to help their peers to remain resilient against substance abuse.

Carlos Mothee, Inshira Estico and Ashley Celestine were among the group of pupils who made their pledge, stating they would remain resilient throughout their lives.

“It is not good at all,” said Carlos.

This was echoed by Ashley who said “it affects your health and prevents you from having a good life”.

For Inshira, “alcohol is unhealthy and can kill you”.

The Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Week is an integral component of Care’s substance use prevention campaign in all schools.

Care’s director, Noella Gonthier, said it is aimed at strengthening their all-year prevention efforts, which raises awareness about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and this year it was Beau Vallon primary school which was the first to invite Care to have the launch at their school.

Mrs Gonthier, who addressed the pupils, elaborated on this year’s theme and the need to remain resilient in the face of taunting.

She said despite the organisation’s continued efforts to fight drugs over two decades, it remains as one of Seychelles’ major concerns, and the situation has worsened.

“That is why we have to increase our prevention work and ensure that children become more resilient, and remain strong in the face of all the influences because as we know substance abuse is a major threat to children’s well-being,” she said.

Mrs Gonthier said this fight should be on all front and should engage all actors from parents, to school and the community at large as it forms part of child protection.

“We have included drug prevention into the Protocol for child protection system, as it is paramount,” she added.

For her part the school’s head teacher, Julianna Agathine, highlighted her school’s exposure to substance abuse with some people opting to use the school’s surrounding as their base for substance abuse.

Mrs Agathine said children can sometimes smell drugs from their classes, or witness the anti-social behaviour taking place outside the school’s fencing.

She commended Care for its mission to ensure children learn the impact of substance abuse on their lives and how to protect themselves, and implored her students to make the right choice.

She also challenged them to practice this year’s theme, ‘Kindness for Resilience in Prevention’.

Yesterday’s ceremony included songs and plays highlighting how to say no to drugs, and ended with a march from the school’s compound to the crèche, with students branding placards with positive messages.

Throughout the week, all schools are encouraged to integrate activities that seek to give children practical skills on how to stay resilient against substance use and other self-destructive choices.

The week also promotes healthy living, positive life choices, and self-protective behaviour to withstand negative influences and peer pressure.

The accompanying photographs show some highlights of the launch.

Patsy Canaya

Photos by Louis Toussaint