Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) has unveiled the top 100 participants in the Inter-University Smart Drinking Challenge on their social media platforms.
This follows the end of phase one of the Be Smart Drink Smart, Beera Mu Class campaign, launched on 1st September 2021 to promote a culture of responsible drinking and reduce the harmful use of alcohol among youth and University students.
The first phase of the campaign saw students from select universities battling themselves in creative extravaganza spanning five weeks from 1st September to 8th October, 2021. 6,653 students registered for the campaign; however, 388 students successfully submitted their ideas on how to encourage responsible behaviour among Youth to the Smart drinking web portal.
“We are happy that this campaign has attracted such numbers given that it is the first of its kind. As NBL, we have always set ambitious Global Smart Drinking Goals for ourselves and initiatives such as these to support them,” said Clare Asiimwe, the Sustainability Manager at NBL and project manager of the campaign.
Students who submitted their ideas were from Makerere University, Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST), Kampala University, Soroti University & Kyambogo University.
“I am so excited that my idea made it to the top 100, I am eagerly waiting for the next steps of the competition, you never know, I can make it to the finals,” an excited Patrick from Makerere University noted upon being informed that he had made it to the top 100.
Megan Amoit from Kyambogo University shared a similar sentiment with Nuwetuhaire as she would also not believe that the competition was real and she had been chosen in the top 100.
“I submitted my idea but I thought this was not real, I cannot believe I’m in the top 100,” Megan exclaimed.
To participate in the challenge, students in the partner Universities submitted concepts in form of either voice note, poetry, prose, video or visual art form.
“The top idea submissions will undergo a thorough vetting session before the Top 15 finalists are unveiled. They will proceed into a final judging process that will require them to present and defend their ideas,” said Asiimwe.
The ideas submitted seek to address and change harmful social norms/behaviour around binge drinking, drunk driving, underage drinking, pregnant girls drinking, gender-based violence and promoting moderate drinking.
“As a university, we always pride ourselves in ensuring that our students make responsible decisions. This is why we partnered with NBL to support the Inter-University smart drinking challenge. I am therefore very happy that some of our students have made it to the top 100,” said Winifred Kabumbuli, Dean of students Makerere University.
The winner of the Inter-University Smart drinking challenge will walk away with UGX 3 million. The 1st and 2nd runner up will take home UGX 2m and UGX 1m, respectively.
