In Chad, as in many African countries, democracy is being built step by step. In a context marked by political transitions coupled with high citizen expectations and a thirst for participation, one educational tool is attracting growing interest: the BRIDGE programme (Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections).
In countries seeking to consolidate democracy, BRIDGE is an invaluable tool for building trust between institutions and citizens. The programme’s strength lies in its interactive methodology, which relies on the highly skilled and experienced facilitators. The facilitators lead workshops, stimulate debate, highlight local experiences and translate concepts into accessible realities. In doing so, they strengthen electoral actors, political parties, civil society and public institutions, while spreading a democratic culture rooted in participation, dialogue and the sharing of experiences.
Recognising Chad’s need for local expertise to support election stakeholders in their pursuit of transparency and inclusion, EISA, with financial support from the European Union through the ACTE project, organised a series of BRIDGE trainings. Two BRIDGE Train the facilitators (TtF) sessions were successfully completed – the first in February 2023 and the second in February 2025 – through which 46 TtF complete (semi-accredited facilitators) were trained. From the group, 18, including 6 women, gained field experience and obtained full accreditation after six modular workshops:
(i) Election Observation and Citizen Mediation (November 2023) (ii) Legal Framework and Reforms (iii) Gender Equality and Elections (iv) Voter Registration, and (v) Civic and (vi) Electoral Education (August 2025). The training was further in enhanced with the support of accredited facilitator, Mr Baidessou Soukolgue, Executive Director of EISA. He led sessions on the electoral system, breaking down complex concepts into simple, accessible terms — a role that left a strong impression on participants.
These workshop facilitators constitute a national resource capable of independently conducting high-level electoral training– a decisive step in consolidating democracy in Chad.
The human dimension of this journey comes through strongly in the testimonials. Hadjé Mariam, from a human rights organisation, recalls the concrete impact of the training: “I learned to pay more attention to how voters are welcomed, the language to use, the legal framework that underpins any election, as well as the registration tools and electoral boundaries.”
For Mahamat Nassour Hinansour, now an accredited facilitator, the experience was a real turning point in his professional and personal life. “The BRIDGE certificate is an international passport in electoral matters. This accreditation is not just a title, it is a responsibility: to help strengthen electoral capacities, promote the transparency and credibility of elections, and support electoral actors in consolidating democracy.”
Training facilitators is not a simple technical exercise; it is a strategic investment in Chad’s democratic future. By providing the country with competent resources capable of disseminating electoral knowledge and promoting integrity and transparency in elections, EISA is giving it the means to build a strong democracy that is adapted to its context but aligned with international standards.
The role of these women and men goes far beyond imparting technical knowledge. They embody a new generation of Chadian electoral experts, bearers of an ideal. In a country facing multiple challenges, their commitment is a powerful lever for building a sustainable democracy rooted in national expertise.
This blog post was made possible thanks to financial support from the European Union under grant agreement No. NDICI AFRICA/2022/435-927. The opinions expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the EU.
