Centre for Studies and Training for Development

Centre for Studies and Training for Development

Abbreviation	CEFOD
Established	1966 (1966)
Purpose	Management training
Location	B.P. 907 N'Djamena, Tchad
Region served	Chad (fr:TChad)
Official language	French
General Director	Fr. Antoine Bérilengar, S.J.
Training director	Yves P. Djofang
Publications	Tchad et culture (monthly), Revue Juridique Tchadienne
Parent organization	Jesuit Province of West Africa[1]
Affiliations	Jesuit, Catholic Chad government (at start)
Budget	US$1,000,000 annually[2]
Staff	43
Website	CEFOD

The Centre for Studies and Training for Development (Centre d'études et de formation pour le Développement), CEFOD, is a centre established by the Jesuits in Chad in 1966 near the beginning of independence at the request of the Head of State François Tombalbaye, to offer training to Chadian professionals in the economic and social field.

Vision

"Given the needs of Chad, the CEFOD wants to be a place of study and critical reflection, dialogue, and confrontation of ideas, training and information, open to all, beyond the ethnic, political and religious divide, to promote the political, economic, social and cultural evolution of the country towards a peaceful democracy, rich in its differences, with the rule of law and involving all citizens, including the most marginalized."^[1]

Chronology

The direction of CEFOD was entrusted to the French Jesuit Fr. Language early after independence. Currently, three Jesuits manage the centre with the help of around 40 lay collaborators. Milestones in its development include:

• 1967 – recognized as a non-denominational, charity organization.
• 1969 – acquired its own premises and a library building, which escaped destruction during the civil war and after 1984 resumed its service to the public.
• 1987 – Chadian Arabic research work launched.
• 1989 – education and publications departments created. Its monthly Tchad et culture resumed publication after a hiatus caused by the civil war.
• 1991 – library buildings opened.
• 1992 – the Chadian Bank of Legal Information launched.
• 1994 – added new quarters equipped for meetings and conferences.
• 1997 – completion of 300-seat amphitheater with audiovisual facility.
• 1999 – media studies department launched.
• 2007 – publishing and media studies merged into one department.

Program

CEFOD offers information, management training, and monitoring for personnel from NGOs, civil society, public administration, and private businesses. It has an 18-member deliberative body and 7 on its board of directors, with Jesuit representation on each body. The present director is Fr. Antoine Bérilengar, S.J., and two other Jesuits work for CEFOD.

CEFOD is organized into four departments:

• Department of Documentation & Legal Information offers an open library, a depository of Chadian legal information, and service to 33 libraries of the Archdiocese of N'Djamena.^[3][4]
• Publishing & Media Department publishes the monthly Tchad et culture which carries analysis and general information, and also booklets on areas of special interest; does radio broadcasting; produces videos to facilitate the centre's teaching; and organizes forums where managers, intellectuals, and students reflect together. Books have also been published by the staff of CEFOD.^[5]
• Training Department includes management training, finance training, Chadian Arabic research, and assessment sessions. From 2006 the department's work has been open to both state and non-state organizations.
• Administrative Department oversees the centre and markets its products and services.^[6]

Current challenges: to retain experienced personnel, to focus on areas where we can offer services superior to those others offer, and to obtain long-term funding beyond the current 2-3 years. ^[1] CEFOD has received international recognition.^[7][8]

References

Coordinates: 12°5′57.63″N 15°3′38.9″E / 12.0993417°N 15.060806°E / 12.0993417; 15.060806