07 Aug 2013

The Vice President, Dr Ponatshego Kedikilwe is to officially launch a comprehensive community-based prevention programme intended to reduce the use of alcohol among adolescents in Lecheng on August 23.

Addressing the media recently, Botswana Alcohol Industry Association (BAIA) chairperson, Mr Tsaone Semausu said the project was currently being piloted in seven Tswapong North villages of Lecheng, Malaka, Manaledi, Goo Tau, Mokungwane and Matlhakola.

Mr Semausu, however, said the project, which has been embraced by the leadership and other community stakeholders of the villages, would positively change the lives of young people in so much that they would be empowered to make the right choices.

He noted that the primary component was a school programme offered to Standard six to Form one and two students supported by four other components.

Other components, he said, were parent focused, community organisation programmes aimed at changing local policy and mass media events. Mr Semausu explained that programmes’ components were designed to address multiple influences that adolescent faced related to alcohol use.

“The objective is to empower the adolescent to understand and value themselves correctly, understand their talents and gifts and what their right lives looks like, clearly see all the options available to them when making choices, make choice based on their knowledge of their right life and to avoid choices, like drinking at their age, that will take them from their vision and goals, among others,” he said.

The association has been formed to strategically tackle and address alcohol related issues and concerns relating to alcohol abuse and misuse by consumers.

To this end, the industry body embarked on running sustained educational and awareness programmes which sought to change and influence behaviour change.

The associations past activities include increased visibility in the public by launching a: Be a shining example campaign through media conferences, television adverts, radio interviews and billboards; third party endorsement from key stakeholders and production and distribution of BAIA education pamphlets.

Answering a question as to why they targeted young people, Mr Jacob Sesinyi from BAIA secretariat office said they wanted to catch them while still young so that they could grow up with the knowledge that alcohol should not be abused.

Mr Sesinyi also indicated that they wanted to make young people aware that drinking at a tender age was not cool.

Meanwhile, BAIA has not yet conducted a detailed study as to whether alcohol abuse has gone down and which districts were leading in alcohol abuse. BOPA