Department launches EPWP partnership with FASfacts | Western Cape Government

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Department launches EPWP partnership with FASfacts

7 May 2017

Western Cape Social Development MEC, Albert Fritz, launched the groundbreaking EPWP initiative to boost the fight against Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in De Doorns and the broader Hex River Valley area.

The initiative will see the Department of Social Development provide 10 EPWP posts to expert NGO partner, FASfacts. The initiative was launched on Friday in De Doorns.

FASfacts will use the resources to train and deploy 10 Co-Facilitators into the communities of the broader Hex River Valley, especially its farming communities. The Co-Facilitators will run public education, awareness and anti-FASD programmes in the farming communities in the area. They will also link pregnant mothers, who may be drinking, to health and counselling services.

Although there is no official data, our experience from work done in Hex River Valley to combat incidents of FASD, indicates that the problem may be wide-spread. This is why this initiative aims to tackle this problem head-on, and will provide key resources to area.

FASD is 100% preventable. Prevention is better than “cure”, because unfortunately, FASD is 100% incurable.

The CEO of FASfacts, Mr. Fracois Grobelaar, in his address thanked the Department for the EPWP intern positions, as it greatly expands the organizations impact and reach. Mr Grobelaar highlighted the problems FASD creates in our communities, saying that, “FASD poses a major challenge to the development of children and later adults”, and continued on to say that, “research conducted in other similar farming communities, such as in Robertson and Wellington, pointed to some of the world’s highest FASD incidences”.

MEC Fritz expressed his commitment to eradicating FASD from all affected communities. “We will continue the fight against FASD and all other forms of substance abuse, which is why we’ve allocated R96.3-million to the substance abuse programme”, said MEC Fritz.  

Media Enquiries: 

Sihle Ngobese

Spokesperson for Albert Fritz, Minister of Social Development

Western Cape Government

7th floor, 14 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, 8000

Tel : (021) 483 9217

Cell :  076 083 6543

Email : Sihle.Ngobese@westerncape.gov.za