Pictured Above: Purple Hands Pledge® Official Combo Banner in English & Afrikaans

FAMSA IS TAKING ON THE HANDS & WORDS ARE NOT FOR HURTING PROJECT® 

The Family and Marriage Society of South Africa (FAMSA) in Northwest are incorporating the Purple Hands Pledge®: “I Will Not Use My Hands Or My Words For Hurting Myself Or Others®” into their Violence Awareness Program (VAP) held at Primary Schools.

The Violence Awareness Program is already implemented in Primary Schools in the Northwest area that FAMSA services namely, Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp, Stilfontein, Orkney, Vryburg, and Rustenburg.

“Violence and abuse are at epidemic proportions in our society. The Violence Awareness Program held in schools for grade 7’s aim to show children alternative ways of dealing with their problems and not to use violent behavior learned in the home. By incorporating the goal of The Purple Hands Pledge® project to end abuse and violence the cycle of violence can be broken and a step towards a violence-free generation becomes a possibility.” – Ansonette van der Merwe, Violence Awareness Program Coordinator, Potchefstroom. 

♥     From 2010 to 2012 the Purple Hands Pledge® was incorporated in the Families Against Violence (FAV) program and implemented in 49 schools, reaching 7331 learners. FAMSA has presented the FAV program at 8 schools reaching 662 learners this first school semester of 2013.  

♥     In 2016, FAMSA presented to Grade 7’s and Grade 1’s in 5 different towns, reaching a total of 32 schools and 2732 learners.

♥     For the FAV, the learners draw their hands in a workbook that they can keep after completion of the program. Sometimes a poster is made with their hands and hearts on. This poster will be displayed in class. The Purple Hands Pledge® poster is permanently displayed in the classroom. 

♥     When doing the Purple Hands Bear program, the children’s hands are displayed in the classroom.

♥     Twelve FAV facilitators with higher qualifications (degree), received the proper training to present The Hands & Words Are Not For Hurting Project® to the schools.

♥     Families Against Violence (FAV) Grade 7, ages 12-14.

♥     Purple Hands Bear program, ages 5-7.