In South Africa, the effects of alcohol abuse are no secret. It is linked to violent crime, road death tolls and birth defects, to name a few. With at least 50 percent of the 18 000 road deaths per year linked to alcohol misuse, it makes sense to encourage South Africans to save lives.
South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD), an organisation tackling the issue of road safety and alcohol misuse in South Africa, is encouraging South Africans to sign up for an “AlcoFreeFeb” and help save South Africa billions of rands.
According to Caro Smit, a SADD alcohol and drug counsellor and educator, “We are entering the second year of running our exciting campaign. Each person that signs up will pay either R100 for the whole month or R25 for a 10 day ‘Student Challenge’. If there are special occasions in the month, one can buy a ‘Drinking Day Pass’ for R20 a day.”
R100 may seem like a lot, but Smit says it’s an important investment. “Our aim in this campaign is to raise money for the organisation, South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD). This organisation works in prevention, research, and service delivery concerning the use of alcohol and the harm that alcohol misuse causes, especially on our roads, and to our youth.”
The campaign is based on “Feb Fast”, started in Australia in 2008, which has been a hugely successful over the last three years. Visit the AFF website www.alcofreefeb.co.za to learn more about the campaign, as well as to find out how to join up. On the website there is a link to “How do I benefit?” which looks at the advantages of losing weight, keeping healthy and staying fit. Past participants have told that they lost weight, saved money, found more time, energy and productivity in their day, and slept better during last year’s AFF campaign.
Up for the challenge? Sign up for an AlcoFreeFeb and SA – The Good News will publish your names, and choose one reader blog tracking their progress for the month of February, in our newsletter, and on our website. Email Julie@sagoodnews.co.za with the subject “FebFast” once you’ve signed up, for the chance to blog about your AlcoFreeFeb.
Visit http://www.sadd.org.za/ for more information.
Article by SA Good News
