Association Action pour la Recherche et le Développement du Kanem (ARDEK) works to contribute to strengthening socio-economic development in the Kanem region and to promote the culture of peace. It was founded on November 10, 2003.

ARDEK's mission is to ensure that peace, social cohesion and stability are recognised as indispensable conditions and determinants of human development. Its vision is to make Kanem region a place of peaceful cohabitation among local communities.

Activities and achievements

• The construction of a 3 classroom building from durable materials;
• The creation of a sewing workshop for unemployed young people;
• Raising awareness of education for peace and peaceful coexistence for youth, women and farmers;
• The strengthening of a totally community-driven approach in fifty villages within the Kanem region;
• Members of ARDEK received several capacity building sessions organised by various partners on issues related to conflict prevention and peaceful cohabitation.
• With the support from its development partners such as Catholic Relief Development, ARDEK has been able to train a total of 650 members of Parents's Associations and 270 mothers who are members of children's associations.
• In 2014, 120 livestock farmers from 10 pastoral areas of the Kanem region benefited from capacity-building to change behaviour on the consolidation of peace and peaceful coexistence in their surrounding areas.