Vital supports fight against woman abuse

HEALTH-LOVING South Africans have donated almost half a million rand to fight women and child abuse in the country.

Mahatma Gandhi once said: “Man becomes great exactly in the degree in which he works for the welfare of his fellow-men.”

These words carry great relevance in South Africa, where many fellow citizens desperately need support. The Vital Foundation is making a profound impact in this regard.

In August 2013, the Vital Foundation launched a campaign to assist organisations in the fight against woman and child abuse. Since then, the Vital Foundation has raised more than R6.8 million through its ‘R1 makes a difference’ campaign. The campaign donates R1 from the sale of every pack of Vital Health Foods supplements to the foundation.

Masithethe Counselling Services in the Eastern Cape, MOSAIC in the Western Cape and People Opposing Woman Abuse (POWA) in Gauteng are the three beneficiaries of the most recent cycle of fundraising, which has raked in almost half a million rand.

Vital Foundation’s funding will help these organisations to continue their extensive work in helping abused women and children begin the healing process.

“Business can no longer sit back and do nothing about an issue that not only affects civil society, but our economy as well. We have to do more,” said George Grieve, managing director of Vital Health Foods, the company that established one of South Africa’s first funding and information sharing bodies for the prevention of woman and child abuse.

“The World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies health as a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. It is therefore imperative that we, as a business, and that business as a whole, do what we can for people on a mental and social level too. Each small step plays a large role in combating the ills so prevalent in our society,” said Grieve.

The organisations that benefit from the funding play a critical role in not only offering counselling and legal assistance to those affected by abuse, but also in raising awareness of abuse. In a partnership with the SABC3 breakfast show, Expresso, the organisations have the opportunity to highlight the work that they do and to inform the public about the danger signs of abuse.

It is crucial to raise awareness of the signs of abuse. Abusive relationships often progress slowly. Victims of abuse are sometimes unaware that they are being victimised. An abusive relationship often starts out like any other relationship. They may appear to be loving, supportive and affectionate relationships, until the abusive behaviour begins. Awareness plays a key role in breaking the cycle of abuse.