Alcohol Levy Fund Campaign Project

WAR in partnership with Ministry of Health to reduce alcohol abuse in the Ngamiland District:

Women Against Rape has a mandate to “reduce the incidence and impact of violence against women and children…” in Ngamiland District through, among others, public education and support for survivors. The organization developed a project that highlighted the causal connection between Gender based violence, alcohol abuse, HIV and AIDS. The project demonstrates that a reduction in alcohol abuse will result in a reduction of gender based violence, HIV and AIDS.

Goal of the project

The main goal of the project was to raise awareness about the link between alcohol abuse, gender based violence, HIV and AIDS, in the process inspiring communities to make a positive social change.

Who funded the project

GLOW is a youth empowerment programme that was started by Peace Corps in Romania in the early 90s but has since grown in leaps and bounds due to its effectiveness. In Botswana, it was first started in 2006 solely run by the American Peace Corps volunteers. In 2007 they partnered with WAR as a way to sustain the program. In 2008 WAR took over the program.

Glow clubs are voluntary associations of students whose main goal is to create awareness among adolescents on issues that affect their growth and development. The clubs empower students with knowledge and skills on how to prevent issues such as Gender Based Violence, teenage pregnancy, HIV and AIDS, STIs, Alcohol and Drug abuse as well as leadership skills. Through these clubs students are empowered to effectively reduce their vulnerability and eliminate or mitigate socio-economic impact of these issues.

How WAR carried out this project

The project utilized trained volunteers and staff to reach out to the public in strategic places such as bars, malls, drinking joints etc. with messages that encouraged controlled drinking and zero domestic violence. The project also used Student Against Rape (SAR) clubs to educate boys and girls on the dangers of alcohol abuse and its direct link with gender based violence. In mobilizing the community, the project identified community activists in different wards to act as community champions of the fight against alcohol abuse and GBV, and to provide primary counseling to victims of abuse in their localities.

Target population

Target populations included youth groups (in-school youth, out-of-school youth, youth-in-sports), adult groups (alcohol users, women, men), law enforcement officers (police) and community leaders (chiefs, headmen, pastors), employed personnel and survivors of GBV.

Effects of the project

At the end of the project, an evaluation was conducted to assess the outcome of the project on the target population.One of the key outputs of the project was increased knowledge about alcohol abuse, GBV, HIV and AIDS and their link. Survey results show relatively high knowledge about alcohol abuse, GBV, HIV and AIDS. Read the evaluation report to learn more