A survey on underage drinking in Kenya shows that children living with single mothers lead among the minors that abuse alcohol.
The study conducted by National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and Students Campaign Against Drugs (SCAD) revealed that 59 per cent of children that drink live with single mothers while those living with single fathers stand at 43 per cent.
Another shocking revelation from the study is that 36 per cent of students in Kenya consume alcohol. Female students account for 42 per cent of this drinking group.
Peer pressure forced 36.5 per cent of this group to take to alcohol while 10 per cent of the children sampled claimed they were driven to abuse by “stress”, 35.5 drink for fun while 2.3 per cent were induced by family members.
Single mothers and fathers are blamed for being so busy working forgetting their children which lead them to indulging in the vice.
Speaking during the ongoing Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association (KESSHA) conference on Wednesday, Kenya Breweries Trade Marketing Manager Tony Shasuvila disclosed that the firm had launched a campaign to sensitise the society about underage drinking and its effects.
He urged the school heads to ensure that students do not access the drink within schools. Parents were also advised to have time to bond with their children.