VOLUME 5 FARR in De Aar JANUARY 2012hul musieklesse en toonlere geoefen het, was verras oor hoe maklik hulle gedurende November en Desember twee Kersliedjies baas-geraak het. Uiteindelik

News of a Savior that was born

to a poor mother who had to

deliver her baby in a manger.

The mothers left just in time to

give the FARR staff opportunity

to prepare for the second party

of the day ... Continue on p3

To give is better than to re-

ceive. For Christmas 2011

FARR decided to collect

Christmas gifts for all 300 ac-

tive clients on our records.

Sponsors each received a name

and the age of a client and

were asked to fill a shoebox

with clothes, toiletries, educa-

tional toys and a present be-

fore wrapping it for Christmas.

Friends of FARR from as far as

Pretoria, Cape Town, USA and

Canada had great fun putting

177 gifts together. A most

generous donation from Em-

power Grinaker / Infraset (Ltd)

provided the finance for the

last 106 gifts which was bought

in Pretoria..

14 December was a very busy

day, putting the last gifts to-

gether, wrapping everything

and preparing for the great day

on 15 December.

The first mothers with babies

(from the stimulation groups)

and their pregnant friends from

the Healthy Mother Healthy

Baby Program arrived early to

join in the excitement.

Everyone received something

to eat, thanks to the kind do-

nations from De Aar commu-

nity. The highlight of their

morning was a visit from Santa

Claus and the gifts they re-

ceived! The morning ended

with some Christmas carols,

accompanied by FARR’s own

musicians on their recorders.

Mrs Antoinette Drotsky from

Pretoria shared the Good

Christmas in a shoebox

FAStrap © 2011 A pilgrimage through the Karoo... That is what FARR’s Leana Olivier (CEO) and Lian Drotsky (Area Coordinator for N Cape) set out to do in 2011. During October just as the days grew hotter and longer they walked 290 km from De Aar to Kimberley in 7 days (17-23

Oct).

Their crazy attempt drew plenty of attention and enabled FARR to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy on a national scale. The pilgramage also honoured the women in De Aar who peresevered on FARR’s FAS prevention programmes. They abstained from alcohol during pregnancy which resulted in a 30% drop in the FASD

prevalence rate in De Aar.

The walkers remember cold mornings when Leana had to wear 2 tops and cover her hands; hot days when Lian had to wear the biggest hat she could find; interesting people from the afternoon workshops and the great hospitality of the

people in the Karoo.

Amore Bekker reported on their progress every afternoon in Tjailatyd on the national radion station RSG and many listeners greeted the two walkers by hooting from cars, trucks and trains, waving and even stopping to take a

picture.

The two women were very aware of the prayers that carried them and was thankful that they sustained no injuries

other than a few blisters to show

for their experience.

They were surprised to learn along the way how few people have ever heard of FAS or knew anything about the dangers of

alcohol during pregnancy.

FARR is now more than ever committed to continue the fight

against FAS!

continue p 3

JANUARY 2012

VOLUME 5

FARR in De Aar

FARR FUNDERS 2011/2012

Wesbank Foundation

ARA (Association for Responsi-

ble Alcohol Use)

Empower Grinaker-Lta /Infraset

Mainstream Renewable Energy

Jules of the Karoo

Distell Ltd

Rotary De Aar

Churches

Friends of FARR

In this Issue:

FARR se musikante 2

Volunteers at FARR 2

Houtkraal 2

Ontmoet die FARR-span 3

Christmas in a Shoebox

(Continued)

3

FAStrap © (continued) 3

FAS Feite 4

Harde werk word beloon!

Die 8 musiekstudente wat

deur die jaar vasgebyt met

hul musieklesse en toonlere

geoefen het, was verras oor

hoe maklik hulle gedurende

November en Desember

twee Kersliedjies baas-

geraak het. Uiteindelik kon

hul die vrugte van hul harde

werk pluk.

FARR is baie trots op hierdie

musikante wat tydens ons

kerspartytjie die sang bege-

lei het.

Op 18 Desember het die

kinders ook hul talente met

die Metodiste Kerk in Voor-

trekkerstraat gaan deel. Hier

is hulle hartlik ontvang en Ds

John Harman het „n baie toe-

paslike boodskap oor die

doel van Kersfees gebring.

Hy het vertel dat Kersfees

daar is om herinneringe te

bou. Kersfees herinner ons

dat ons „n Verlosser nodig het

en dat ons wel „n Verlosser in

Jesus Christus het. Die jong

musikante is met soveel liefde

ontvang dat beide die kinders

en die Kerk gevra het om die

optrede op Kersdag te herhaal.

So het „n groepie kinders die

geleentheid gekry om spesiale

herinneringe van Kersdag op te

bou. Vir baie jare sal hulle

onthou hoe hulle Stille Nag en

„Joy to the World‟ in die Meto-

diste Kerk gespeel het!

also interested in the families‟ lives. As so many of the chil-dren struggle to learn, these teachers fear that many of them have Fetal Alcohol Syn-drome. Mrs Mans invited FARR to share the FAS-prevention message with parents at a meeting on 18 November 2011. Funds for this outreach proramme was provided by the De Aar Gardening Club and FARR.

Ms Lena Rooi, FARR Community Worker, gave a brief intro-duction followed by the movie „AL die Voeltjies Vlie‟ which tells the story of Salman a young boy living with FAS.

Thirty-five kilometers outside De Aar is the small station of Houtkraal. Here in the middle of the great Karoo lies the beautiful oasis of the Hayes Primary School. Lovely green trees greet one from afar and around the neat school are productive vegetable gardens used in the school‟s feeding programme.

Two dedicated teachers Mrs. Klerk and Mrs. Mans teach young children from deprived backgrounds to read and write. However, their concern reaches further than the few hours the children spend with them every day and they are

Everyone enjoyed this story and then Mrs Lian Drotsky facilitated a discussion group. Although such a brief inter-vention is not enough to change people‟s behavior. It does raise awareness regard-ing the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy and informs community members about the challenges that people with FAS experience in life.

FARR se musikante

Hayes Primary School

smile and caring attitude en-deared her to clients and staff alike. We will miss her as she takes a break during the hot summer months.

For two years Mr. Peter Coet-zee has dedicated much time and energy to the children at the FARR/Joan Wertheim Centre. Week after week he is on his post to teach children

to read, appreciate and play music. He always has a friendly word of encourage-ment or joke to share with children. In a community where male role models are few and far between he is helping FARR to build positive futures in De Aar.

FARR would like to thank Peter for his dedication and love for the children!

Thank you to our volunteers!

A small organization like FARR is always grateful for the help of dedicated volun-teers and in this issue, FARR would like to express a spe-cial word of thanks to two of our volunteers.

Betty Laas has been a tre-mendous help driving the Venture three days a week to transports mothers and pregnant ladies to FARR‟s support groups. Her friendly

2 FARR IN DE AAR

Betty Laas, behind the wheel of the Venture driving clients to

their support groups.

FARR se jong musikante saam met afrigter Peter Coetzee

Parents at Hayes Primary School enjoying the DVD.

VOLUME 5 3

Annalize Esau, die jongste van FARR se span in De Aar is in Upington gebore waar sy ook grootgeword en skool gegaan het. Sy matrikuleer in 1999 aan die Kearns Hoër-skool waarna sy „n rekenaar kursus aan die Upington Kollege gaan studeer. Sy werk aanvanklik as vrywil-liger in Upington Hospitaal en later ook by „n winkel en „n fabriek.

Haar hart was egter altyd in die gemeenskap en sy gryp die geleentheid aan om in 2002 as gemeenskapswerker by FARR te begin. Hier kan sy haar passie om met mense te werk uitleef. Sy het dit veral geniet om praatjies in

Upington se klinieke te hou waar sy baie mense leer ken het. Teen 2009, het Annalize na die FARR projek in De Aar oorgeskuif om op die Gesonde Moeder Gesonde Baba (GMGB)projek te konsentreer. Sy het baie empatie met haar kliënte en dra veral die hoë risiko moeders op die hart. Sy is baie opgewonde oor die verskil wat die GMGB projek in baie vrouens se lewens ge-maak het. Vir haar is die kos-baarste woorde van ‟n kliënt: “Ek drink nie meer nie.!” Annalize help graag swanger vroue om „n ingeligte besluit oor die toekoms van hul kinders te neem. Sy sê haar boodskap is eenvoudig en baie swanger vrouens neem die boodskap so

ter harte dat hulle dit self versprei. Tog voel sy soms oorweldig deur kliënte se probleme.

Dan geniet sy dit om in die middae met die kinders wat by FARR se koskombuis kom eet netbal of bordspeletjies te speel of selfs tou te spring. Die kinders vertrou An-nalize en deel dikwels moeilike huislike omstandighede met haar.

Annalize het „n 9-jarige dogter wat by haar Ouma in Upington grootword. Sy mis Zandile en droom daarvan om eendag terug te keer na Upington. Annalize voel dat mense in Upington nog baie oningelig is omtrent die gevare van alkohol tydens swangerskap. Sy droom om eendag FARR se FAS voorkomingsboodskap in Upington en die omliggende gemeenskappe uit te dra.

voorkoms van FAS met ‘n 1/3 te

verminder.

As mens 3 ure deur die Karoo

vlaktes stap is daar baie tyd om

dankbaar te wees. Dankbaar vir

‘n gesonde lyf wat kan stap, sagte

skoene geborg deur ‘n weldoener

in De Aar (Novels) en ‘n ma wat

my sonder alkohol in die wêreld

gebring het. Daar is ook baie om

te geniet: die nuuskierige steen-

bokkies wat oor die gras vir ons

loer, die subtiele soet reuk van ‘n

laning driedorings en die ritmiese,

krakerige roep van veldpoue wat

my sommer laat dans.

Maar die ding wat my die meeste

Die volgende brief is deur Lian

Drotsky geskryf en tydens die

FAStrap© staptog deur Amore

Bekker op RSG voorgelees. Dit

het baie positiewe kommentaar

ontlok:

“Soos jy weet pak ek en my

kollega Leana ‘n ander tog hier-

die week aan. In plaas van die

gewone werktoe en huistoe,

stap ons twee van De Aar na

Kimberley om die wêreld ,met

jou hulp, bewus te maak van

Fetale Alkohol Sindroom en die

verskil wat die gemeenskap van

De Aar gemaak het om die

geraak het op die staptog is die

twee mamma’s by wie ons Maan-

dag, net buite De Aar, verby

gestap het. Elkeen het ‘n baba

op die rug gedra, toegedraai in ‘n

warm kombers in die warm Ka-

roo son. Hulle stap iewers van

‘n plaas na die kliniek om hul

babas te laat weeg en seker te

maak alles is in orde. Ons bring

hulde aan die honderde ma’s wat

hulle verteenwoordig. Vroue

wat in moeilike omstandighede

gesonde babas alkoholvry in die

wêreld bring en gesond groot-

maak. Ons stap tree vir tree vir

hulle.

Groete vanuit die warm Karoo.

Ontmoet die FARR span

FAStrap© 2011

Carols, accompanied by their

friends on recorders. Unfortu-

nately Santa Claus had other

commitments and he asked Mr

Coetzee (volunteer and music

teacher at FARR) to hand out

the gifts. The children enthusi-

astically cheered as each child

received a gift and waited with

great anticipation to open their

Christmas boxes together.

Who will ever forget their ex-

citement to find a shoebox full

of gifts specially packed for

him / her?

Yes to give is indeed better

than to receive!

Christmas in a shoebox (continued)

To the second party we invited

all the children (4 – 16 years)

who use the FARR facilities in

the afternoons. The children

could hardly wait for their gifts,

but they first enjoyed a meal of

boerewors rolls, salads, water-

melon and cold drink (thanks to

all the donations from De Aar).

Then they sang Christmas

Annnelise Esau

What did you get?!

Welcome company from a cyclist on the long, last lonely stretch into Kimberley.

4

Leer - / Gedragsprobleme

Persone met FAS ervaar die

v o l g e n d e l e e r - /

gedragsprobleme:

-babas is irriteerbaar en

huilerig

-swak konsentrasie.

- probleme met aanleer van

abstrakte konsepte soos

wiskunde.

-om vaardighede wat in ‘n

bepaalde konteks aangeleer is

te veralgemeen na ‘n nuwe

konteks

-om probleme op te los

-om take te beplan en die

volgorde van stappe uit te

werk

Fetale Alkohol Sindroom

(FAS) word veroorsaak

wanneer ‘n vrou alkohol tydens

swangerskap drink. Die

alkohol is giftig vir die

ongebore baba en affekteer die

baba op verskillende maniere.

Wat is die simptome van FAS?

Persone met FAS:

-is klein van postuur met ‘n lae

gewig vir ouderdom

- het spesifieke gesigskenmerke

w a t d e u r ’ n d o k t e r

gediagnoseer moet word.

- het breinskade met leer– en

gedrags probleme

-verskeie organe soos die

hart,oë, ore ens kan aangetas

wees.

-met aanpasbaarheid van denke

en is dikwels rigied

- om die gevolge van dade in te

sien, tree dikwels impulsief op en

raak dus dikwels betrokke in

kriminele bedrywinghede.

(Bogenoemde lys is net ‘n kort

opsomming van die probleme

wat ‘n persoon met FAS kan

ervaar)

In die volgende uitgawe:

Hoe word FAS gediagnoseer en

voorkom?

FAS FEITE

•Wine -10% alcohol

(150ml = 1 drink)

•Beer -5% alcohol

(300ml = 1 drink)

•Spiritus—30 to 40% alcohol (25 -30ml = 1 drink)

NO AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL IS

SAFE DURING PREGNANCY!

2 or more drinks per day or 5 drinks per week is considered

HIGH ALCOHOL INTAKE during pregnancy

Wentworthstraat 6

De Aar

7000

___________

Thornhillweg 37

Rondebosh

7700

Tel: +27 (53) 631 7063

Fax:+27 (53) 631 1922

E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Webblad: www.farr-sa.co.za

On request of many Friends of FARR, who are unable to read Afrikaans, but interested in

FARR’s work in De Aar, this issue is mainly in English with a few contributions in Afrikaans

to reflect the culture of our work.

FARR VISION

FARR is dedicated to building positive futures in South Afri-

can communities by significantly reducing birth defects

caused by alcohol consumption, with the focus on Fetal Alcohol

Spectrum Disorder.

FARR MSISSION

FARR will achieve our vision by implementing impactful, direct

community interventions, driving social awareness programmes,

conducting world-class research and by offering a full range

of diagnosis, management, support training, education and

mentorship services.

Alcohol Contents