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

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Monday July 26, 2010 00:00

 

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

The award winning kwaito-kwasa youngster opens his song well with an 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 peers prefer gemere as they party at Zola.

Stompie is not alone in the ministry-sponsored debut album.  Popular traditional group, Matona, have also contributed one of their popular songs in the album, whose anti-alcohol message is rather ironic.

Otherwise the alcohol message is well-delivered here with Shanti Lo declaring that 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 a play, Fapoga Bodiba, by Storms, a local production company contracted to stage the productions.

Speaking at the album launch, Director of Public Health, Dr El-Halabi observed that young people are an important human resource for changing existing harmful drinking patterns and paving the way to a 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, out reach activities where they visit schools and interact with scholars.

'We also go to agricultural shows, youth forums, fairs and different shopping centres staging exhibitions and providing public education,' El-Halabi  told her audience.

As regards the road shows, which her department will be undertaking for 41 days across the country starting this week, El-Halabi described them 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 said.

She reasoned 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.