With the aim of curbing alcohol abuse, an organisation that educates students about the scarier side of drinking will launch a campaign at NMU at the end of November.
The Dantonetix Youth Organisation will kick off the Anti-Alcohol Abuse Campaign that seeks to shed light on the dangers and hazardous effects of alcohol abuse.
Dantonetix director Khanyisa Ncana said the Eastern Cape, much like the rest of the country, faced a mammoth challenge in addressing heavy drinking and the abuse of alcohol within academic institutions.
She said the campaign would be run at the province’s four universities – NMU, Fort Hare, Rhodes and Walter Sisulu – to ensure students understood that lives could be changed forever when alcohol was abused.
“There have been incidents of sexual abuse, rape, stabbing and all sorts of reckless acts that have the potential to completely ruin a young life,” Ncana said.
She said the campaign was a way of trying to curb the trend so young people could finish their studies and go on to live prosperous lives.
“We trust that students will begin to be more watchful when they are indulging in alcohol.”
She said the organisation had retained two campaign ambassadors to assist in getting the message delivered.
Campaign ambassador and award-winning South African actor Chumani Pan said he enjoyed helping young people develop into leaders.
“This project will assist in ensuring that youngsters make better and informed decisions regarding their future, that is why I felt I definitely needed to get involved,” he said.
Eastern Cape Liquor Board spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya said: “This programme is but one way in which we can actively come together and fight this scourge that continues to cripple our youth and their future.”
The campaign is partly funded by the board.
The programme was successfully introduced at NMU in July, and at Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu and Rhodes in October.
Msiya said the introductory programmes had been well received, with the campaign now starting at all four universities at the end of November.