Case example 1: Botswana

“The economic consequences of chronic alcohol use are devastating and can seriously hinder any sense of development. In a study of alcohol use among the Basarwa of the Kgalagadi and Ghanzi districts in Botswana, informants stated that since a significant proportion of household income was spent on liquor, less cash was available for food, clothing and other essential items. As one informant succinctly stated ‘alcohol makes poor people poorer’. A person who is regularly under the influence of alcohol will have little motivation or interest in working, unless it is to obtain money to buy more alcohol. One particular problem is that a regular drinker can easily become economically tied and indebted to alcohol vendors who are only too pleased to provide alcohol‘on credit’.

Child neglect is an increasing problem when parents are intoxicated so early in the day that they are not able to prepare food for their children, even if there is food available. A concern is that some parents will sell food to buy alcohol while others will give alcohol to their children as a food substitute and to stave off hunger. Generally, the neglect of young children due to alcohol abuse means that these children are under-socialized as well as malnourished, leading to a refusal to attend school, begging and stealing for food, and other delinquent activities.

Source: Molamu & MacDonald (1996)”

Source & © WHO  Global Status Report on Alcohol 2004, p.61