Stompie Says 'No' To Bojalwa, 'Yes' To Gemere

By Monkagedi Gaotlhobogwe
Staff Writer | Monday January 25, 2010 00:00

 

Stompie features in the 12-track anti-alcohol album sponsored by the Ministry of Health which was launched on Friday with pomp at Gamma-Masire, where he was among the acts performing to hundreds of youthful revellers.

The award winning kwaito-kwasa youngster opens his song well with anti-alcohol message, declaring that he and his friends do not drink jwala (beer). But somewhere he goes at length narrating how he and his friends prefer gemere as they party at Zola. Interestingly Stompie does not see gemere as problematic as other beer or alcohol beverages.

Stompie is not alone in the misinformation in this debut album sponsored by the Ministry of Health. A popular traditional group, Matona, have also contributed one of their popular songs in the album, whose alcohol message is rather ironic.

Otherwise the alcohol message is well delivered here with Shanti Lo declaring that  , bojalwa ga se monate, bojalwa ke mmaba le bo tshabe...bo tlogele( alcohol is no joy, it is an enemy, flee from it...quit drinking).

The album is actually targeted at the youth, and almost all the songs direct their message to the young people, with pictures of the youth also appearing throughout the album sleeves.

The Friday events, which ran for four hours, also featured alcohol play, Fapoga Bodiba, by Storms, a local company contracted to stage the productions. Speaking at the launch of the album, Director of Public Health, Dr El-Halabi observed that young people are important resources for changing harmful drinking patterns and paving the way forward for healthy lifestyle.  'It therefore goes without saying that they should be better mobilised and empowered to participate in shaping their own environments, as well as in changing the harmful attitudes and practices of wider adult society'. 

She said their campaign strategy consists of three main components, among others, outreach activities where they visit schools and interact with students.

'We also go to Agric shows, youth forums, fairs and different shopping centres and put up exhibitions and provide public education', El-Halabi  told her audience.

About the road shows, which her department will be undertaking across the country for 41 days starting this week, El-Halabi described as  edutainment- a combination of education and entertainment.  'Here we use drama, music and other games to teach and entertain at the same time.  It has proven to be educationally appealing and entertaining to our audience and in particular the youth', she explained.

She added that that no one intervention is effective in producing the desired results and that in trying to help young people change their behaviour against alcohol abuse the campaign process employed different interventions.  'This included working with different local music artists to produce a CD which contains 12 songs.  These songs carry important messages on alcohol and how it can affect our health,' El-Halabi.