Saturday, February 8, 2025

Alcohol industry on mission to reduce use of alcohol among adolescents

The Executive Director, Opaque, Kgalagadi Breweries (PTY) LTD, Tsaone Semausu, has said that they have formed an Association to strategically tackle and address alcohol related issues and concerns relating to alcohol abuse and misuse by consumers.

“This is a pilot project and things are still at infant stage. At one point, we shall be having strong partnership with the Government and other stakeholders to make sure they (consumers) have a vision to build a better nation by making right choices and decisions,” said Semausu.

He said they have the Tswapong North Adolescent Empowerment Program currently being piloted in 7 Tswapong North villages of Lecheng, Malaka, Manaledi, Goo Sekweng, Goo Tau, Mokungwane and Motlhakola, adding that the association seeks to embark on initiatives that would rather be preventive as opposed to reactive.

Semausu said the primary component of this is a school program offered from Standard 6 up to Form One.

“It is supported by four other components: a parent program, a community organization program, a program aimed at changing local policy and mass-media events,” he said.

Semausu explained that the program’s components are designed to address the multiple influences that adolescents face related to peer pressure and bad habits in the communities they live in.

He said they target adolescents because they are still at an early age and yet they are not contaminated (have not started using alcohol) therefore they stand a good chance of succeeding.

“We shall be teaching the teachers to train students; and parents too will have a role to play in mitigating ways at home and anywhere else where the child may be enticed or triggered into bad behaviour because we are afraid of the implications afterwards,” said Semausu.

He further explained that they are facing transport challenge to bring every one (parents and teachers) to one place for training.

Semausu added that the parents will register at the school to attend the training. He said this will help empower parents to understand their children’s unique personality, strength and weaknesses and potential while the children will be able to understand and value themselves correctly.

Semausu stressed that children will make choices based on their knowledge of their right life and understand their talents and gifts and what their right lives look like. He also said they are currently discussing a possible execution strategy with the Botswana Police and they had just concluded consultations with all the stakeholders regarding a shopping pilot project in Serowe.

“This program will be officially launched by the Vice President Ponatshego Kedikilwe on the 23rd August this year at Lecheng Village,” Semausu announced.

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