The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) have been active in the West Coast since 2013, when they identified an FASD prevalence of 64 children per 1 000 in Saldanha Bay.
On Friday 9 September International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Day was observed.
This occasion is used to raise awareness of the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant. According to FARR exposing a baby to alcohol in the womb can lead to life-long physical and mental disabilities, and it is one of the leading preventable causes of disability.
Locally FARR has worked to raise awareness and to support women of the West Coast community in having healthier pregnancies.
This month the FARR team collaborated with Early Learning Resource Unit (ELRU), the provincial Department of Health and Mfesane in raising awareness of alcohol abuse with the Witteklip community.
“We set out from the Witteklip community hall in groups going from door to door and shared the FASD prevention message and the symbolic FASD knot on Nackerdien Street,” Jaco Louw, FARR Project Coordinator West Coast, explained.
“It was a truly collaborative event with each stakeholder bringing something special to the day. We shared more than 300 FASD knots and discussed our message with more than 400 people in Witteklip. The focus was, however, not only on women, but the whole community.
“We shared the message with men in the community as well, for they needed to play their part in providing a nurturing and caring environment for their pregnant partner.”
After the door-to-door walk the stakeholders returned to the community hall, where the Department had set up an early childhood stimulation workshop for parents and their children. There were interactive discussions with a speech therapist, occupational therapists, a physical therapist as well as a dental hygienist.
After all had taken part in the workshop a meal was shared and, once again, participants left with the FASD prevention message reverberating in their ears: “No amount of alcohol is safe at any time during pregnancy.”
FARR thanked Aurora Wind Power, ELRU, the Department of Health Western Cape and Mfesane for their support.
