Embracing Potential With Sobriety: Inside Mdantsane Alcohol-Free Youth Festival

The persistent issue of underage drinking continues to plague our province, marked by events such as pens down parties and beachfront drinking nights. The choices made by our youth have often proven fatal, a harsh reminder lingering in the shadow of the tragic Enyobeni incident of 2022. Despite hopes that the tragedy would discourage such behaviour, it has merely shifted venues while maintaining the same dangerous habits.

In response, our Bumb'ingomso Programme hosted the ALCOHOL-FREE Youth Festival recently as part of the broader SOBER YOUTH CAMPAIGN to remind young people of their potential and what they could achieve without alcohol. Hosted at the Rubusane Sports Ground in Mdantsane, the event provided fun and safe alternatives for youth entertainment.

The Sober Youth Campaign also encourages young people to make healthier choices regarding substance use; thus, reducing risky behaviours and lowering HIV transmission rates. Esethu Sotheni, BI Project Coordinator, reflected on the success of the event, stating, “The feedback was beyond amazing. Young people really want spaces where they can feel safe and are able to interact with each other without the use of alcohol.”

The Alcohol-Free Youth Festival, with over 240 attendees, was a celebration of youth, featuring netball, soccer, aerobics, music, and dance, demonstrating that enjoyment can be found outside the influence of alcohol. bumb’INGOMSO is on a mission to minimise Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among the youth in the Buffalo City and Amathole districts, a goal often hindered by substance use.

As the year edges to a close, there is an ever-present concern about youth reverting to harmful behaviours. Our desire is that this event ignites a sense of hope in young people, reminding them of the abundant possibilities that life offers beyond intoxication.

For youth in the Buffalo City Metro seeking engaging, alcohol-free activities, visit the bumb’INGOMSO, Lingomso Centre in Mdantsane or the Nxarhuni Solar Hub to gain new skills.

There is so much more to life than intoxication.