KUWAIT, Jan 24 (KUNA) -- There is an increasing need for drug prevention programs in the Arab world, which is why Mentor Arabia is holding a workshop for integrating a "Life Skills Education Program for Drug Prevention" in a number of private schools here in the coming academic year, said the NGO's Fundraising Director Nathalie Hobeica.

"Mentor Arabia is a regional non-profit, non-governmental organization with a mission to promote drug prevention and the heath and well-being of children and youth in the Arab world," she told KUNA on the sidelines of the workshop on Thursday.

She explained that 25 teachers from five private schools in Kuwait were participating in the two-day workshop, and the aim was to train them in preparation for integrating the Life Skills Education Program for Drug Prevention in these schools in the 2008/2009 school year.

"The program will develop competencies in students in order to strengthen their personalities and make them more able to deal with problems of adolescents, thus helping them understand what they want and subsequently say 'no' to peer pressure and the use of drugs," she explained.

The program creates a positive youth environment, and its 30 weekly sessions introduce children aged 10-14 to better "fun" options such as community work, sports, and arts.

Hobeica noted that cooperation was ongoing with the Ministry of Education to identify five public schools in order to hold a similar workshop for their teachers, also with the aim of implementing the life skills program in these schools in the coming school year.

As for monitoring this "pilot project," she said a local team headed by Dr. Altaf Al-Essa would be assessing both the implementation and response to this program by teachers and parents, alongside three visits throughout the year by a specialized team from the Beirut-based Mentor Arabia.

Hobeica also mentioned the "Agents of Prevention" training workshop that will be held on February 10-15 in cooperation with the Kuwaiti Ministry of Social Affairs to train employees at the Juvenile Center how to approach juveniles on drug-related issues through theater plays, sports, and other interactive activities.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed with the local "Ghiras" drug prevention media campaign in order to hold a seminar for journalists in the future on how to deal with drug-related issues, she added.

Moreover, she noted that there were five Kuwaiti members in Mentor Arabia's board of trustees, headed by Saudi's Prince Turki bin Talal, which helped the NGO "open doors" of cooperation in Kuwait.

There are also 20 Kuwaiti private companies supporting Mentor Arabia as part of their corporate social responsibility programs.

"Drug prevention is the best way to protect youth from addiction, because recovery is a very difficult process," Hobeica noted.

The two-day workshop, sponsored by Zain and Alshaya Group, is being attended by teachers from Bayan Bilingual School, The English Academy, American Academy for Girls, American Creativity Academy, and the American International School.

By Eman Al-Awadhi