In South Africa, despite laws against the sale of alcohol to minors and setting the legal drinking age at 18, underage drinking remains a pressing issue.
Alcohol is one of the top reasons for death and health problems among teenagers aged 15 to 19 worldwide. The ease of access and affordability of alcohol contribute to this ongoing problem.
To combat underage drinking, a new, innovative approach is being introduced through a game designed for the digital world, aiming to keep those under 18 away from alcohol and to guide their friends in avoiding the dangers of early drinking.
Aware.org reports that half of the teenagers in South Africa have experimented with alcohol. Their research also found that starting to drink before the age of 18 significantly increases the chance of developing alcohol dependence compared to those who start after 20.
To address this, Aware.org is launching a video game called "RoVille Rescue: The Lost Items."
This game is part of a broader strategy to fight underage drinking, which includes community efforts to prevent young people from starting to drink, early interventions for those at risk, rehabilitation programmes, and widespread media campaigns to promote healthy decisions and awareness.
Nearly half (49.2%) of South African high school students have reportedly consumed alcohol.
The introduction of "RoVille Rescue: The Lost Items" into Aware.org’s campaign marks a pivotal move towards eradicating underage drinking by engaging youngsters in a space they are familiar with – the virtual world.
"Underage drinking is a persistent challenge that demands innovative solutions," said Mokebe Thulo, Head of Brand at AWARE.org.
"By launching RoVille Rescue, we're reaching out to young audiences right where they are.
“This initiative empowers them to make informed choices about alcohol consumption. Together, we can crush underage drinking and build a future free from its harmful effects."
In today’s age, when global media drowns out traditional communication channels, RoVille Rescue is an appealing media choice for adolescents who are exposed to peer pressure, alcohol that is within easy reach and other negative influences.
Nestled within the metaverse environment of the Roblox platform, RoVille Rescue is a vibrant social space where young adventurers can embark on a quest to uncover the truth about underage drinking.
“Join us in RoVille Rescue, a space where we cleverly demonstrate the potential consequences of underage drinking and spark positive discussions that mobilise young people to commit to the #NOtoU18 movement and help create safer virtual and real-world environments for adolescents,” highlights Thulo.
As players journey through RoVille Rescue, they encounter various challenges designed to test their knowledge, attitude, wits, wisdom and decision-making when facing social situations and the results of associated factors such as access to alcohol and peer pressure.
While traversing around the RoVille metaverse, gamers have the opportunity to learn and grow during every step of their journey.
The experience aims to encourage the youth, gamers and other individuals to face up to, and witness the results of these circumstances first-hand – but under the game’s safe boundaries.