Zambian Breweries with its partners the Drug Enforcement Commission, Lusaka City Council, and the Road Traffic & Safety Agency heightened their festive season collaboration with an awareness campaign highlighting the dangers of irresponsible alcohol consumption, drug and substance abuse, and drunk driving at the talking Christmas tree lighting event at East Park Mall.
The colourful Christmas Tree is decorated with locally crafted art and ornaments illustrating responsible drinking awareness messages.
“Aside from the holiday cheer, we are conscious that the festive season also brings with it an increase in road traffic accidents, underage drinking, GBV cases, and alcohol abuse,” said Zambian Breweries Country Director Michelle Kilpin.
“As a responsible brewer, Zambian Breweries shares the government’s concern regarding the ills alcohol and substance abuse brings to society. We are therefore excited to join other stakeholders in calling for consumers to always drink responsibly.”
The partnership in the harm reduction agenda encapsulates the partners’ efforts to make investments in programmes that measurably shift social norms and behaviours around responsible alcohol consumption.
“I further wish to appreciate the collaboration amongst stakeholders, it shows that we are actualising the SDG 17 which talks about partnerships. As we race towards Zambia’s vision 2030, we need to have a healthy city and this can only be achieved through partnerships such as these”, said Lusaka City Council Assistant Director Public Health Kachikoti Banda.
“Initiatives like the Talking Christmas Tree and Zambian Breweries’ Smart Drinking Campaign that seek to nurture the development of a productive society feed into the new dawn Government’s desire to build a prosperous nation through youth and women empowerment,” explained Ms Kilpin.
The festive season collaboration builds a strong partnership based on shared values which is critical to achieving Zambia’s growth targets as outlined in vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Similarly, the partnership also strengthens efforts aimed at engaging the community through outreach initiatives and raising awareness on the ills of drinking alcohol and driving, alcohol and substance abuse, gender-based violence, and illicit alcohol trade.
In the second half of 2021, Zambian Breweries through its Smart Drinking campaign has reached more than 5000 consumers, local outlets, retailers, and distributors in Lusaka and the Copperbelt educating consumers on the importance of putting their health and safety above all else by avoiding counterproductive vices.
